Antibacterial activities of various sequential extracts of Ficus racemosa stem bark

The present study evaluated the antibacterial activity of sequential extracts of Ficus racemosa stem bark against Staphylococcus aureus [MTCC 3160], Bacillus cereus [MTCC 1306], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [MTCC 1034], Escherichia coli [MTCC 1089] and Bacillus subtilis [MTCC 1133] by disk-diffusion and agar-diffusion methods. In disk-diffusion assay chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts showed moderate antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis compared to the positive control, while petroleum ether extract did not exhibit antibacterial activity against any of the organisms tested. Aqueous extract inhibited only Bacillus subtilis, while none of the extracts inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In agar-diffusion assay, both petroleum ether and aqueous extract did not show any inhibitory activity against any of the test organisms, while methanol extract showed moderate activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli. Acetone extract showed moderate inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and FRSCE inhibited Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli to some extent.