Evaluation of Leaf and Root Extracts of Melia dubia L. against Larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Five Important Human Pathogens

A. Chanthuru, M. Munees Prabhu, O.S. Aysha* and R. Karthik²

Department of Microbiology, Mohamed Sathak College of Arts and Science, Sholinganallur, Chennai - 119, India. ²Department of Marine Biotechnology, AMET University, Kanathur, Chennai - 603112, India

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1412

ABSTRACT: Mosquito larvicidal activity and antimicrobial screening of ethyl acetate extract of leaves and root of Melia dubia belongs to the family of Meliaceae have been evaluated in the present study. Exposure of the larvae to these extracts for 12 hours led to 98 and 96% mortality, respectively. The results obtained show that this plant material exhibited significant activity and could be considered as potent natural larvicidal agent. The results of in-vitro antimicrobial screening of the crude ethyl acetate extract exhibited a wide range of activity on E.coli, Salmonella typhi, S. paratyphi, Klebsilla penemonia, Staphylococcus aureus. The extracts of the leaves and root inhibited the growth of K. pneumonia, E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus while only the leaf extract was active against S. typhi and S. paratyphi. The results obtained in this present study have lent scientific justification to some of the uses of the plant in ethno-medicine.

KEYWORDS: Melia dubia; larvicidal activity; Culex quinquefasciatus; Antibacterial activity

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