Aristolochia bracteata Retz. family Aristolochiaceae is common annual weed distributed throughout India and widely used indigenously as a medicine. In Ayurveda it is reported that the leaves, seeds and the roots are used for treatment of skin diseases, ulcers, snakebite, treatment of cancer, lung inflammation etc. Attempt has been made to investigate the antimicrobial activity of root, stem and leaf extracts of Aristolochia bracteata Retz. by disc diffusion method. The mentioned plant parts of Aristolochia bracteata Retz. were extracted with methanol, butanol, petroleum ether and aqueous extracts and tested against bacterial isolates isolated from clinical samples viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The crude extracts showed significant broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Among four extracts assessed, methanol extract was found to have highest antibacterial activity followed by butanol extracts against certain bacterial isolates. Present study reveals that bioactive compound could be present in the extract as it shows inhibitory activity against isolates from clinical samples. The bio characterization of those compounds is in process.
