International Journal of Biological Sciences and Engineering

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ISSN 0976-1519, Vol. 02, No. 01, March 2011, pp. 20-23

Anti-Bacterial Activity of Solanum Nigrum Fruit

Extract against Human Pathogenic Micro-
Organisms
H. MUSTAFA and S. M. ALI
Department of Biotechnology, Integral University, Lucknow, UP, India
Email: [email protected]

Abstract: Human beings have used traditional medicines based mostly on medicinal plants
for the treatment of various ailments for centuries. An outsized portion of the world’s
population, especially in developing countries, depends on the traditional system of
medicine for primary health care and a variety of sicknesses, including infectious diseases.
Infectious diseases are the world’s leading cause of premature death, killing almost 50,000
people every day. The present investigation aims to study the plant extract of Solanum
nigrum with promising broad-spectrum activity against bacteria. The plant material was
collected from in and around the campus of Integral University, Lucknow, India. The plant
parts were separated, washed, cleaned and was air dried. Then extracts the petals were
made in Methanol by keeping it soaked for 72 hours in dark at room temperature. The
extract was filtered through Whatman filter paper and concentrated in vacuo. The
concentrated extract was extracted and stored at 4º C in aliquots until used. Different
bacterial strains were prepared using nutrient agar. The Standard disc diffusion assay was
carried out to evaluate the efficacy of the plant extract using controls. The methanolic
extract showed strong activity and can be used as potential anti-microbial agent for the
preparation of herbal drugs.
Keywords: Methanol extract, broad-spectrum bacteria, Solanum nigrum.

Introduction: plant. These products are known by their

active substances, for example, the phenolic
For a long period of time, plants have been
compounds which are part of the essential
a valuable source of natural products for
oils (7), as well as in tannin (12). More
maintaining human health. Recently more
studies pertaining to the use of plants as
intensive studies for natural therapies have
therapeutic agents should be emphasized,
started especially in the last decade.
especially those related to the control of
According to World Health Organization
antibiotic resistant microbes. Solanum
medicinal plants would be the best source to
nigrum Linn. (Solanaceae) is commonly
obtain a variety of drugs (11). About 80% of
known as ‘Black nightshade’. The plant has
individuals from developed countries use
been extensively used in traditional
traditional medicine, which has compounds
medicine in India and other parts of world to
derived from medicinal plants. Therefore,
cure liver disorders, chronic skin ailments
such plants should be investigated to better
(psoriasis and ringworm), inflammatory
understand their properties, safety and
conditions, painful periods, fevers, diarrhea,
efficiency (5). The use of plant extracts and
eye diseases, hydrophobia etc (15). The
phytochemicals, both with known anti-
phytochemical studies revealed that plant
bacterial properties, can be of great
contains glycoalkaloids (solanine,
significance in therapeutic treatments. In
solamargine, solanigrine and solasodine),
the last few years, a number of studies have
steroidal glycosides (β-solamargine,
been conducted in different countries to
solasonine and α, β- solansodamine),
prove such efficiency (1, 2, 13, 14). Many
steroidal saponins (diosgenin), steroidal
plants have been used because of their anti-
genin (gitogenin), tannin and polyphenolic
bacterial traits, which are due to compounds
compounds. Mature fruits are low in alkaloid
synthesized as secondary metabolites of the
(solanine) content (3, 6, 10). The fruit of S.

#03020103 Copyright © 2011 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved.

 H. MUSTAFA and S. M. ALI 21

nigrum is reported to have ant-ulcer, anti- purchased from National Chemical

oxidant and anti-tumor promoting agent in Laboratory, Pune, India.
rats (6, 8). It has also been reported in the
Anti-Bacterial Assay:
ancient Indian medicinal literature to have
beneficial effects during inflammation, The antibacterial activity of plant extract
tuberculosis, diuretics etc. (9). Though the was determined by agar disc diffusion assay
plant has great potential for anti- (Bauer et al, 1966) against bacterial strains
inflammatory, analgesic and anti-bacterial (4). Sterilized filter paper discs (5mm)
activity, nobody has not been yet containing 100 µg, 200 µg, 300 µg and 500
documented these activities on fruits of this µg were arranged on the surface of the
plant. Therefore, the present study was inoculated plates and incubated at 37°C for
conducted to evaluate the anti-bacterial 24h. Along with this 30 µg tetracycline disc
potential of the methanolic fruit extracts of (Himedia standard) was studied for
Solanum nigrum on a panel of antimicrobial activity as a positive control
microorganism strains. whereas the solvent (Methanol) used for
preparing extract was used as a negative
Materials and Methods:
control.
Collection of Plant Material:
Results:
The plant materials were collected from the
The methanolic extract of the fruits of S.
campus of Integral University, Lucknow. The
nigrum showed potent anti-bacterial
plant sample were taxonomically identified
activity. This was indicated by the
from the Herbarium Department at NBRI,
measurement of the zone of inhibiton in
Lucknow, India. The voucher specimen of
agar well diffusion method as shown in
the plant is deposited at the Department of
Table 1. The positive controls of standard
Biotechnology at the Integral University,
antibiotic discs were also included in the
Lucknow, India.
test. All the bacterial strains demonstrated
Preparation of the Methanolic Extracts: some degree of sensitivity to the plant
extract. Different concentration of extract
Plant extracts were prepared by the method
showed inhibitory activities against
of Alade and Irobi (1993) with minor
individual micro-organisms. However, the
modification (3). Briefly 30 g of powdered
sensitivity of the tested micro-organisms at
plant material was soaked in 100 ml of
different concentrations varied. The largest
methanol (Qualigens) for 72 h in dark. The
zone of inhibition was observed in S.
mixture was stirred every 24 h using a
typhimurium with zone size of 18 mm
sterile glass rod. At the end of extraction the
diameter at a concentration of 300 µg of
extract was passed through Whatman filter
plant extract. S. typhimurium growth was
paper No. 1 (Whatman, UK). The alcoholic
also inhibited at 100 µg, 200 µg and 500 µg
filtrate obtained was concentrated in vacuo
each with different sizes of zone of inhibition
at 40°C and stored at 4°C until further use.
of 9 mm, 12 mm and 18 mm respectively.
Bacterial Strains: The methanoilc fruit extract also showed
anti-bacterial activity against E. coli, B.
The test organisms used include B. cereus
cereus, B. subtilis, and S. aureus and
(NCIM 2156), B. subtilis (NCIM 2920), E.
showed zones of inhibition from 200 µg
coli (NCIM 2065), K. pnuemoniae (NCIM
while K. puemoniae, showed zone of
2957), P. vulgaris (NCIM 5139), S. aureus
inhibition at 300 µg concentration.
(NCIM 2099), S. epidermidis (NCIM 2493)
and S. typhinumrium (NCIM 2501) were

International Journal of Biological Sciences and Engineering

ISSN 0976-1519, Vol. 02, No. 01, March 2011, pp. 20-23
 Anti-Bacterial Activity of Solanum Nigrum Fruit Extract against
22
Human Pathogenic Micro-Organisms

Table 1: Anti-Bacterial Activity of the Methanolic Extract of the Fruits of Solanum Nigrum
against different Bacterial Strains.

Zone of inhibition (mm)

S. No. Bacterial strain
100 (µg) 200 (µg) 300 (µg) 500 (µg)

1 Escherichia coli - 10 15 17

2 Bacillus cereus - 9 10 10

3 Bacillus subtilis - 8 10 10

4 Klebsiella pneumoniae - - 12 9

5 Proteus vulgaris 9 10 12 15

6 Staphylococcus epidermidis 6 10 14 16

7 Staphylococcus aureus - 8 13 16

8 Salmonella typhimurium 9 12 18 18

The size of the diameter of the zone of antimicrobial activity of Cynodon dactylon
inhibition increased with increasing essencial oil. Fitoterapia 66, 174-175, 1995.
concentration of the methanolic fruit extract. [3] Alade, P.I. and O.N. Irobi, 1993.
The size of the zone ranges from 6 mm to Antimicrobial activities of crude leaf extracts
18 mm at different concentrations. of Acalypha wilkesiana. J. Ethnopharmacol.,
39: 171-174.
Conclusions:
[4] Bauer, A.W., Kirby, W.M.M., Sherris, J.C.
The present study indicates that the and Turck, M. 1966. Antibiotic susceptibility
methanolic extract of S. nigrum fruit testing by a standardized single disk
extracts have great potential as anti- method, American J of Clinical Pathology 45:
bacterial compounds against different micro- 493-496.
organisms. Therefore they can be used as a [5] Ellof, J.N. Which extractant should be
potent anti-bacterial agent for treatment of used for the screening and isolation of
diseases caused by resistant microbes. Such antimicrobial components from plants? J.
screening of various medicinal plants is the Ethnopharmacol. 60, 1-6, 1998.
need of the hour, because successful [6] ErdoÛrul OT. Antibacterial activities of
prediction may lead to the discovery of some plant extracts used in folk medicine.
novel compounds which may be useful Pharmaceutical Biol 40: 269-273, 2002.
clinically. [7] Jansen, A.M.; Cheffer, J.J.C.; Svendsen,
A.B. Antimicrobial activity of essencial oils: a
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ISSN 0976-1519, Vol. 02, No. 01, March 2011, pp. 20-23