ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTY OF Tribulus terrestris (Leaves) FROM TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT, INDIA

Natural drugs play important and vital role in the modern medicine. They cure ailments which may not be treated by conventional medicine and exhibit many biological activities like antimicrobial. The purpose of our study is to screen phytochemicals and to determine antibacterial activity of hexane, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of Tribulus terrestris leaves against five pathogens (Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus). The extracts were prepared by cold maceration and the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using agar well diffusion method. The inhibition zones were measured for five concentrations (10 mg, 5 mg, 2.5 mg, 1.25 mg and 0.625 mg) of the extract. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, carbohydrates, flavones, saponins, steroids, alkaloids, proteins, quinones and tannins. In antibacterial assay, inhibition zones were detected in all extracts and in all concentrations. Large zones were formed in hexane and diethyl ether extracts. As the concentration of extract increased, the diameter of inhibition zones around the well also increased. Hence our results support the use of all the four extracts of Tribulus terrestris as a source of antibiotic substance for the possible treatment of human pathogenic organisms.