Antimicrobial activity of methanolic extracts of indigenous traditional Indian folk Medicinal Plant, Gnaphalium polycaulon

Background and Aim: Gnaphalium polycaulon (L.) Pers. (Asteraceae) plant, locally known as Nerabu chedi, collected from Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu was subjected to antimicrobial screening and minimum inhibitory concentration of methanolic extracts of leaf, stem, and flower. Methodology: The selected plant used in traditional Indian medicine was examined for antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration against human pathogenic bacteria and fungus using the agar well diffusion method. The antilog of the corresponding value of concentration was taken as the minimum inhibitory concentration value. Statistical Analysis: All the values of the results of the assay were expressed as means of triplicates, mean ± standard deviation. Results: The antimicrobial activity of methanolic leaf extracts of G. polycaulon showed a high level of antimicrobial activity against the studied bacterial and fungal pathogens. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained, the medicinal value of this plant could be attributed to the presence of secondary metabolites in the traditional herbal medicines. Therefore, this antimicrobial activity shows a source for traditional use of the plant as a local health remedy to the indigenous communities of Tamil Nadu. Further studies on knowledge of the medicinal plant used medicinally by indigenous people could lead to further research and new drug discovery for the treatment of different diseases. Key words: Antimicrobial activity, folk medicine, fungus, Gnaphalium, Gram‑negative bacteria, Gram‑positive bacteria, minimum inhibitory concentration