Standardisation and Antimicrobial Activity of <i>Hedychium spicatum</i> (<i>Shati</i>)

Background: Hedychium spicatum Buch. Ham. (Zingiberaceae), also known as the spiked ginger lily, is a versatile herbal medicine used in traditional systems of medicine for its therapeutic properties. It has been used as an analgesic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, Central Nerves System (CNS) depressant and for cytotoxic activities, fevers, pediculicidal and respiratory disorders. Aim: To standardise and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of H. spicatum (Shati). Method: A study was conducted to standardise the anti-microbial activity of H. spicatum (Shati). An extract was prepared using hydroalcoholic and organoleptic methods and physico-chemical analyses were performed. Results: It was discovered that High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) was more flexible than traditional Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) methods. The hydroalcoholic extracts inhibited good antimicrobial activity against all tested fungi and bacteria. The study concludes that the standardisation and potential antimicrobial activity of H. spicatum extracts against tested bacteria and fungi have been evaluated. Conclusion: Further investigation is needed to explore polyherbal formulations for infectious skin disorders.