Objectives:The current investigation was carried out to determine the cytotoxic and the antimicrobial activities of methanolic extracts of Plumbago zeylanica.Methods:The stems, leaves, and whole plants were air dried and extracted with methanol by using a Soxhlet extractor for 72 hours at 55 - 60°C. The antimicrobial activities were determined from the zones of inhibition, which were measured by using the agar well diffusion method, and the cytotoxicity assays were performed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay method.Results:The methanolic extracts of the stem and the leaves of Plumbago zeylanica were tested against six bacterial species and nine fungal species, and both extracts showed antimicrobial activity in a dose-dependent manner. The leaf extract of Plumbago zeylanica showed maximum antimicrobial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus sub sp aureus and Fusarium oxysporum. The stem extract was found to be more antimicrobial against the Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the Penicillium expansum species. MTT assays were used to test the cytotoxicity of the whole plant extract in the HCT-116 and the K-562 cell lines, and that extract was shown to have weak cytotoxicity in both cell lines.Conclusion:In the present study, the methanolic stem extracts of Plumbago zeylanica were found to possess remarkable antibacterial activities against many human and agricultural pathogens. The extracts were also found to possess significant antifungal activities, but the antifungal activities were less than the antibacterial activities. Finally, the extracts were found to have weak cytotoxicities in the HCT-116 and the K-562 cell lines.

<p class="Abstract">Leaf juices as well as leaves of <em>Barleria prionitis</em> and <em>Barleria grandiflora</em> are being used by rural people across various regions of India in the treatment of oral ailments such as dental troubles, gum ailments, pyorrhoea, dental carries and mouth ulcers. Zone of inhibition and MIC values obtained for all the extracts suggest ethanolic extract of the herbs were more antimicrobial when compared to the aqueous extract. Results of biofilm suppression were found statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) when compared to control. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay on human gingival fibroblast and human dermal fibroblast cell lines for ethanolic extract of the herbs. CTC₅₀ value was found to be more than 1,000 µg/mL for ethanolic extracts of both herbs. Chlorhexidine was found to be more cytotoxic with CTC₅₀value of 12.5–25 µg/mL. Ethanolic extract of <em>B. prionitis</em> and <em>B. grandiflora</em> found significantly cytotoxic (p&lt;0.05) in comparison with control.</p><p class="Abstract"><strong>Video Clip:</strong></p><p class="Abstract"><a href="https://youtube.com/v/DNByJJQT3RY">Cytotoxicity assay:</a> 18 min 45 sec</p><p> </p>

Background: Leaf juice as well as leaves of Barleria prionitis Linn and Barleria grandiflora Dalz (Acanthaceae) is used by rural people across various regions of India in treatment of oral ailments such as dental troubles, gum ailments, pyorrhoea, dental carries and mouth ulcers. Methods: An antimicrobial activity was carried on aqueous and ethanolic extracts of both herbs and compared with standard chlorhexidine. Cell line study was carried using Human Gingival Fibroblast on ethanolic extracts of leaves of both the herbs and compared with standard marketed preparation Zyrtee. Cytotoxicity and anti gingivitis activity were evaluated using MTT assay. Results of cytokine secretion assay and cytokine measurement assay were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Dunnett multiple comparison test. P values less than 0.05 were considered as significant. Results: Results of antimicrobial activity suggest significant potency for ethanolic extracts of both the herbs. CTC50 values for ethanolic extracts was found to be 848 µg/ml and more than 1000 µg/ml respectively for Barleria prionitis and Barleria grandiflora. The cytokine secretion significantly increased by S. mutans control, whereas the cytokine level was reduced in a dose -dependent manner by ethanolic extracts in Streotococcus mutans stimulated HGF cells. The ethanolic extracts EBG and EBP showed 65.31383 ± 1.087%, 75.0425 ± 1.268% inhibition of TNF-α at tested concentration respectively. Conclusion: Thus based on findings of this study, we conclude the usefulness of Barleria prionitis and Barleria grandiflora in treatment of oral ailments such as gingivitis.