Screening of Antibacterial Activity of the Medicinal Plant Phyllanthus amarus Against Urinary Tract Infection Causing Bacterial Pathogens

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most commonly occurring infections in hospitals. But micro organisms causing UTI vary in their susceptibility from place to place and from time to time. In this present study, the herbal plant Phyllanthus amarus was tested for its antibacterial activity against urinary tract infection causing bacterial isolates viz., Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter sp., Streptococcus fecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The Phyllanthus amarus was shade dried and extracted with methanol, acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether and hexane. The antibacterial activity of Phyllanthus amarus was determined by agar well diffusion method. It was found that methanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus showed highest inhibitory activity against UTI causing bacterial pathogens when compared to other solvent extracts. From this it was concluded that the solvent methanol is able to leach out antimicrobial principles very effectively from the plant than the other solvents. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and triterpenes.