In vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of leaves and flowers extracts from Lippia alba

Pak J Biol Sci. 2009 Jan 1;12(1):87-90. doi: 10.3923/pjbs.2009.87.90.

Abstract

The research was conducted to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of leaves and flowers extract extracted from Lippia alba. Disc diffusion technique was used for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal screening. Zones of inhibition were observed in disc diffusion for antibacterial screening against 4 Gram-positive pathogenic and 6 Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Among crude extracts chloroform extract showed good activity against all test organisms. A Large zone of inhibition was observed (18 mm) against Vibrio parahaemolyticus. In antifungal screening, the compound showed mild to moderate zones of inhibition against four tested organisms. A Large zone of inhibition was observed against Aspergillus niger (13 mm). Cytotoxic activities of crude extracts were determined using Brine shrimp lethality Bioassay and LC50 values of standard Vincristin sulphate as positive control, n-hexane and crude ethanol extracts were found to be 5, 15 and 20 microg mL(-1), respectively.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Artemia / drug effects
  • Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Flowers / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Lippia* / anatomy & histology
  • Lippia* / chemistry
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Plant Extracts