Cynodon dactylon: antimicrobial potential of crude extract as valuable medicinal plant

Abstract

Cynodon dactylon (Poacae) is a well known traditional plant used as a folk remedy in treatment of many symptoms and diseases like cramps, measles, tumors, wounds, warts, fever and rheumatic affections. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of the plant crude extract from three different extraction (hot and cold aqueous extraction, methanol extraction) was investigated against some of the gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus cereus) and gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae) using disc diffusion method. Amoxicillin and Gentamicin were taken as positive control. The diameter of the clear zone of inhibition surrounding the disc was measured. The aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon had antimicrobial activity against all the test organisms indicating broad spectrum activity of the extract for both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. No clear zone formed with methanol extract. It can be concluded that aqueous extract of whole plant of Cynodon dactylon may be considered as an antibacterial agent and can be used to source antibiotic substances for possible treatment of bacterial infections.