ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIFUNGAL AND ANTHELMINTIC PROPERTIES OF CRUDE EXTRACTS OF CYPERUS EXALTATUS RETZ. AND SCIRPUS MARITIMUS L.

Abstract

The present research study was conducted to assess the antimicrobial and anthelmintic potential of two sedges i.e. Cyperus exaltatus Retz. and Scirpus maritimus L., of family Cyperaceae from Lahore, Pakistan. Antibacterial, antifungal and anthelmintic properties were determined using the crude extracts of plant parts i.e., leave, stem, inflorescence and rhizome. The aqueous extract of C. exaltatus inflorescence exhibited the maximum zone of inhibition against bacterial strains i.e. Bacillus subtilis (Gram positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram negative), while the ethanolic extract of C. exaltatus inflorescence exhibited the maximum zone of inhibition against fungal strains i.e. Candida albicans and Penicillium commune. Maximum inhibition zone was found in ethanolic extract of S. maritimus inflorescence against bacterial strains while the maximum zone of inhibition was recorded in water extract of S. maritimus stem against fungal strains. Water extract of inflorescence of S. maritimus showed maximum anthelmintic activity while n-hexane extract of rhizomes of C. exaltatus showed the least activity. It is observed that these plants have ethnopharmacological potential for the investigated assays and could serve as source for synthesis of novel drugs.