In vitro studies on antibacterial and antifungal activities of Emblica officinalis

The research work was conducted with the fruits of  Emblica officinalis  (Fam: Euphorbiaceae) to investigate antibacterial & antifungal activities. The fruits of the plant were successively extracted by cold extraction process by using two solvents namely  ethanol and acetone. Antimicrobial activities of the extracts of both solvents were investigated by a simple agar diffusion method using ten pathogenic bacteria. The extracts of ethanol showed moderate activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, Shigella dysenteriae and Bacillus megaterium. Again acetone extracts showed moderate activity against Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Shigella dysenteriae.All the activities were determined by measuring the zone of inhibition compared with the standard antibiotic (Amoxicillin). Antifungal screening was done for the ethanol and acetone extracts by disk diffusion method with ten pothogenic fungi. Both the extracts showed moderate activity against Fusarium equiseti and Candida albicans. In this case, Grisofulvin was used as standard antibiotic.