Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Different Parts of Pongamia pinnata L. extracts obtained by Sequential Extraction against Pathogen Isolates from Raipur region

Pongamia pinnata belonging to the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae), the third largest family of flowering plant with 730 genera and over 19,400 species, is cosmopolitan in distribution. In the present study an assessment of antimicrobial activity of leaf, seed and root extract of P. pinnata, with four solvents namely, petroleum ether, acetone, ethyl alcohol and water, against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was carried out following agar disc diffusion technique. Seed of P. pinnata emerged as the most effective part with maximum activity against Staphylococcus aureus followed by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with acetone extract as compared from ethanol and aqueous extracts. The root was the next in order showing the antimicrobial property. Aqueous extract of seed and root showed inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The phytochemical studied revealed that all parts of P. pinnata possess high degree of chemicals such as alkaloid, flavonoids, saponins, sterol, tannins and terpenoids. The presence of these secondary metabolites may contribute for their antimicrobial activity. Activity index of seed of P. pinnata was found to be highest followed by the root and leaf.