Poster Presenter

In vitro and in vivo Antibacterial Efficacy of Leaves of Cestrum nocturnum against Multidrug Resistant Salmonella Isolates from Hospitals in India: An Area with a High Prevalence of Drug Resistance
Avijit Mazumder, S. Bhattacharya, Rupa Mazumder

The tribals of Chotanagpur region in India were found to use the leaves of Cestrum nocturnum to treat different infectious diseases including typhoid. To justify their claim, a study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial efficacy of the leaves of this plant against drug resistant Salmonella spp. The in vitro antibacterial efficacy was determined by agar dilution and disk diffusion technique. The extract was then tested in vivo in mice. All the strains were inhibited at 100 mg/ml of the extract and the activity was found to be comparable with that of ciprofloxacin. The methanolic extract of leaves of Cestrum nocturnum was found to be bactericidal in nature. Significant protection in mice challenged with 50 MLD of Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 74 were obtained at 100 and 150 mg/kg of extract. There is a significant reduction in the number of viable bacteria in blood, liver and spleen in the animals treated with the extract. Thus, the use of the leaf extract of this plant as an antityphoid agent by the tribals is justified.