Study of Antibacterial Activity of Some Ethnomedicinal Ferns of Darjeeling District, West Bengal

Abstract

The present paper aims at studying some ethnomedicinal ferns having antimicrobial activity and commonly found around the area of Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India. Common ethnomedicinal ferns from several areas of this district were collected and tested against Gram +ve and Gram -ve bacteria for their antimicrobial activity. Collected plant materials were dried and the soluble extracts were made using organic solvent like ethanol. Antimicrobial activities were measured using agar cup diffusion method. Greater area of inhibition zone indicates the presence of good potentiality of antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial activity of three plant parts like rhizome, rachis and frond extracts of Adiantum capilus-veneris Linn., Nephrolepis cordifolia Linn. and Pteris vitata Linn. was tested. Frond and rhizome extracts of these species show good antimicrobial activity than that of rachis.