Antibacterial Activity of Methanolic and Ethanolic Extracts of Leaves and Fruits of Ficus palmata Forssk

The various parts of Ficus palmata Forssk. has been traditionally used for the treatment of various human diseases. In the present study the antibacterial activity of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of leaves and fruits were assayed against Escherichia coli (Gram negative species) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive species) by disc diffusion method. The extracts (methanolic and ethanolic) of leaves and fruits of this plant exhibit antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus indicating their broad spectrum antibacterial properties. Ethanolic extracts of fruits found to have more antibacterial activity against the test organisms then the methanolic extracts. The zone of inhibition observed significantly higher than the standard tetracycline in some ethanolic fruit extracts against both the test bacterial species. The magnitude of antibacterial activity was observed to be more in fruit extracts then the leaves extracts.