Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Primula denticulata.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activities of Primula denticulata commonly called as "Primrose". Different solvents viz. ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol, ethanol, methanol were used for the preparation of the extracts. Antibacterial and antifungal studies were carried out using agar disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. During the study it was found that the ethyl acetate extract of P. denticulata exhibited potent growth inhibitory effect against three bacterial strains including Shigella flexneri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited no significant activity against Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus at 500 g/ml and 750 g/ml concentrations. 250 g/ml and 500 g/ml concentrations of the ethyl acetate extract exhibited potent inhibition of three fungal strains including Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus Flavus and Candida albicans. The choloroform extract of P. denticulata was found to be effective against Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium strains. However, the extract showed no growth inhibitory effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium. The methanol extract of P. denticulata exhibited highest growth inhibition against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We therefore propose that the plant may prove as an important source of antimicrobial molecules.

Ethnobotanical and antibacterial study of Primula plants traditionally used in the indigenous communities of Western Himalaya, Pakistan

“…The antibacterial activity of this plant has already been reported. Shafi et al (2016) reported a strong antibacterial activity of ethyl acetate extract against E. coli and Aslam et al (2015) reported a strong antibacterial activity of ethanol extract of P. denticulata against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens.…”