Studies on Antimicrobial Potential and Phytochemical Analysis of Mint Leaves Extracts

The present study was carried out to find out the antimicrobial activity and phytochemical analysis of Mint (Mentha arvensis) leaves solvent extracts against selected enteric pathogens. Plants have been an important source of medicine with qualities for thousands of years. In the present study, the antimicrobial efficacy of Mint leaves solvent extracts was examined using Ethanol, Methanol, Diethyl ether and Acetone as solvents and tested against nine enteric pathogens namely E.coli, Salmonella typhi, Sal.Para.A, Sal. Para. B, Shigella sonnei, Shigella dysentarie, Enterobactor spp.,Citrobactor spp.and Klebsiella spp. Antimicrobial analysis was done by using agar well diffusion method against selected enteric pathogens. The MIC values were determined by both agar and broth dilution method. The functional chemical group was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).The Ethanol extract of Mint showed highest antimicrobial activity against Shigella sonnei., while lowest antimicrobial activity was observed by Ethanol extract of Mint against Citrobactor spp and by Acetone extract of Mint against Shigella dysentarie .The phytochemical analysis of Mint leaves solvent extracts showed presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, phenol, tannin, glycosides etc.