Comparative Study Of Effects Of Six Medicinal Plants On Human Pathogenic Gram (+Ve) And Gram (-Ve) Bacteria

Abstract

The increasing apprehension regarding antibiotic resistance has revitalised interest in medicinal plants as prospective sources of novel antibacterial drugs. The current study assessed the antibacterial efficacy of six traditionally utilised medicinal plants from Bihar—Azadirachta indica (Neem), Moringa oleifera (Sahjan), Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), Zingiber officinale (Ginger), Curcuma longa (Turmeric), and Tamarindus indica (Imli)—against specific Gram-positive and Gram-negative human pathogenic bacteria. Plant materials were extracted using water, ethanol, and methanol, and their antibacterial properties were examined alone and in combinations using agar well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests. The findings demonstrated that the type of solvent substantially influenced antibacterial activity, with methanolic and ethanolic extracts exhibiting larger inhibition zones than aqueous extracts. Of the plants, Neem and Moringa had the strongest antibacterial properties, especially against Gram-positive bacteria. Tamarindus indica, on the other hand, had weaker benefits. Notably, synergistic combos, particularly Neem + Moringa, exhibited increased antibacterial effectiveness, underscoring the potential of phytochemical combinations. MIC values showed that Neem and Moringa extracts worked well at lower concentrations, which proved that they were more powerful. These results highlight the potential of Neem and Moringa as natural substitutes or complements to synthetic antibiotics, warranting additional phytochemical and pharmacological research.