In vitro evaluation of anti-microbial of the leaf extracts of acacia modesta

Infectious diseases caused by micro-organisms are transmissible and infect a large group of population. Investigations were carried out for studying the phytochemistry and biological potential of the leaves of Acacia modesta. Dried and finely ground leaves were extracted with ethanol. Different fractions were obtained by extracting the crude extract with n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Fractions of n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, crude extract and the aqueous layer left behind were evaluated for their anti-microbial potential by determining the zone of inhibition against different bacterial strains. All fractions showed positive anti-bacterial activity except ethyl acetate fraction. However the aqueous layer showed activity which is significantly higher than the standard antibiotics used in this study. In conclusion the more active the compounds found in leaves, the more polar they were in nature. Bioassay guided isolation of these active compounds from aqueous fraction may lead to potential anti-bacterial metabolites from Acacia modesta. (author)