Abstract

Alcoholic extracts of fruit of an endangered medicinal plant Balanites aegyptiaca and its in vitro raised calli were analyzed for antimicrobial potential against various Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria including those harbouring bla genes by agar well diffusion method. The alcoholic extract of parent plant as well as its callus showed good antibacterial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extracts were determined by broth microdilution method. MIC against Gram positive bacteria ranged from 3.05 to 24.0 µg/ml, while MIC against Gram negative bacteria ranged from 1.53 to 49.0 µg/ml and MIC against resistant bacteria harbouring bla genes ranged from 12.0 to 49.0 µg/ml. The present study shows that extracts of B. aegyptiacacontain good antibacterial activity which can be used in the treatment of various infectious diseases. As its calli also gave good results, in vitro cultivation of the explants may be used to obtain novel antimicrobial compounds especially at places where it does not grow naturally. This is the first report of antibacterial activity of B. aegyptiaca against Gram negative bacteria harbouring bla genes.

Key words: Balanites aegyptiaca, in vitro raised callus, antimicrobial activity.