MIC

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.

Many historical limestone and sandstone monuments in Bhopal are seriously threatened by bio-deterioration and are in need of investigation and conservation. Bio-deterioration processes result from complex interactions of surface-invading microbes (such as fungi) with the surface material. The present investigation focuses on the conservation of monuments by determining the antifungal effect of azoles against the fungal isolates isolated from the monuments of Bhopal: Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, Rhizopus arrhizus and Penicillium sp.We determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antimicrobial agents using the guidelines of National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (M38-A). To determine MICs, the inoculums of the above isolates were exposed to itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, griseofulvin and clotrimazole. We found that the order of in vitro activity of these antifungal agents against the fungal isolates is Itraconazole> Ketoconazole >Clotrimazole = Fluconazole = Griseofulvin. This result suggests that the use of Itraconazole and Ketoconazole should be a primary consideration in the conservation of monuments. Spraying or painting with these antifungal drugs could protect the monuments from fungal biofilm development.

Coleus aromaticus, an Indian medicinal plant used to treat various respiratory ailments was screened for their antimicrobial activity against a few respiratory pathogens. Acetone, ethanol and water extracts were prepared from the leaves of the chosen plant. The antimicrobial activity was determined against pathogens associated with respiratory conditions i.e. E.coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter freundii, Staphylococcus aureus,Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Burkholderia cepacia and Candida albicans. The leaf extracts demonstrated significant activity in the disc diffusion assay and the zones of inhibition ranged from 5mm to 14mm, while the MIC values ranged from 0.312mg/ml to 20.0mg/ml. Hence, the antimicrobial activity recorded for the plant extracts validates their traditional uses to treat various respiratory infections.