Antibacterial and antifungal analysis of methanol extract of <i>Calotropis Procera</i> root

The majority of recorded deaths in tropical nations are attributed to infectious diseases, which are becoming more common as germs become more resistant to antibiotics. Therefore, the development of more practical and potent therapeutic antibacterial agents as well as other active natural compounds from medicinal plants like Calotropis procera is necessary. The aim of this study is to test for antimicrobial properties of Calotropis Procera root. Calotropis Procera root was cold macerated for 48 hours using (1.5L) of methanol. The extracts (filtrate) were concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The antimicrobial effect of methanol extract of Calotropis procera on two bacteria: E. coli, H. pyroli and two fungi: Aspergillus niger, yeast Candida albicans were determined using disk diffusion. The results revealed that methanol extract of Calotropis procera showed antimicrobial properties. The growth of four bacterial and fungal isolates was inhibited by methanol extract of Calotropis Procera root. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the methanol extract was between 200 and 400 μg/mL, the minimum bactericidal concentration was between 300 and 400 μg/mL for fungal and bacterial isolates. This study revealed that the C. procera root demonstrated strong inhibitory effect on the test organisms. The results therefore established a good support for the use of C. procera in traditional medicine.