Original Articles: 2010 Vol: 2 Issue: 5
In vitro antimicrobial and antitumour activities of Derris brevipes extracts
Abstract
Four solvent extracts (ethyl acetate, acetone, chloroform, water) of Derris brevipes Var brevipes leaves were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhii, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio cholerae by using agar well diffusion method. Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton species were used to test anti-yeast and antifungal activity. The cytotoxic effects of the extracts on Vero and HEp2 cells were assayed using MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide]. Among the four extracts tested, acetone extract had effective antibacterial potential, followed by ethyl acetate extract. The acetone extract showed greater activity against gram positive organism than against gram negative. All the extracts were active against Epidermophyton species and Candida albicans. The 1:8 dilution of the acetone extract was non-toxic to normal cells and also had both anticancer and anti-proliferative activity against cancerous cells. he study confirms the antimicrobial and antitumor activity of solvent extracts of Stevia rebaudiana leaves, which would serve as a potent drug in near future.