EVALUATION OF INULA CRITHOMOIDES, ASTRGALUS ADSCENDENS AND HELIOTROPIUM EICHWALDII AGAINST DIARRHOEAL AND URINARY TRACT INFECTIOUS BACTERIAL PATHOGENES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical composition and antibacterial properties of three medicinal plants i.e., Inula crithomoides, Astragalus adscendens and Heliotropium eichwaldii used locally against diarrhoeal and urinary tract infectious diseases obtained from the hilly areas of district Karak KPK Pakistan. Using normal protocols, a preliminary phytochemical screening of the aforementioned plants extracts in ethyl acetate, chloroform, n-hexane, and distilled water showed the presence of several components, including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. The plants were found to be rich in alkaloids because each fraction of each plant has shown the presence of alkaloids. Then the four fraction of each plant were subjected to evaluate them against the selected diarrhoeal and urinary tract infectious bacterial pathogens like E.coli (ATCC), E.coli (MDR), P.aeruginosa  (ATCC), P.aeruginosa  (MDR), Salmonella sp, Shegilla sp and MRSA by using ager well diffusion method. All of these plants extracts were found to be moderately inhibitory against these pathogens except the n-hexane and chloroform fraction of Heliotropium eichwaldii which have shown strong inhibition against salmonella specie. Thus, the use of herbal plants is the primary source of medications used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases.

Keywords: Phytochemical; herbal plants; diarrhoea; alkaloids; pathogens