Influence of solvents on antibacterial activity of leaves and bark of Neolamarckia cadamba: A preliminary study

The rise of antibacterial resistance has entailed the exploration of antibacterial agents. Various solvents have been administered to extract antibacterial agents from plants. However, the extracting efficacy of solvents vary significantly. Choosing a solvent is crucial as it influence factors like reaction, stability and efficacy. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of different solvents (Ethanol, Methanol, Acetone, Benzene, DMSO and Aqueous) on the antibacterial activity of Neolamarckia cadamba extracts against Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibacterial activity was conducted by impregnating the disc with different solvent extracts of Neolamarckia cadamba on agar plates inoculated with test pathogens. After incubation, the zone of inhibition around the impregnated discs was measured (mm). Leaf (methanol) and bark (ethanol) extract demonstrated the highest zone of inhibition of 16 mm and 14.1 mm. All solvent extracts exhibited antibacterial activity except, aqueous which showed no significant antibacterial effect. Methanol and ethanol showed the highest antibacterial activity followed by acetone, benzene, DMSO and aqueous. The result of this study suggests that choice of solvent plays a crucial role in extraction of antibacterial agents and also highlights the significance of solvent selection in optimizing the impact on their subsequent activity.