Key words- Antimicrobial activity, disc diffusion method, Ficus racemosa.

The bark exhibited hypoglycemic effect in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic animals^5-11 and -sitosterol-D-glucoside was identified as the active principle¹². The glucoside rich fraction of the leaf extract showed hypotensive and cardiac depressant activity⁶. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal and hepatoprotective activities of the various extracts from the leaves have also been evaluated in rats and mice^7-11. A uterine tonic prepared using the aqueous extract of fruits was found to show effect similar to oxytocin¹³. Its latex was found to exhibit protease activity¹⁴. Ethanolic extract of its bark showed significant inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhea and PGE2 induced enter pooling in rats^10,15. The Kwath douche of its stem bark can be used for the treatment of leucorrhoea and vaginitis¹⁶. Gluanol acetate isolated from bark is useful in bilious affection¹⁵.

Processing and extraction of plant material
Powdered roots of F. racemosa were extracted with ethanol for antibacterial and antifungal activity. The extract was filtered, the residue reextracted (2x) for complete exhaustion. The combined ethanolic extract was evaporated under reduced pressure using a rotary vacuum evaporator. The extract was stored at 4^oC in a refrigerator until screened for a particular activity.

Test microorganism
Pure cultures of test bacteria, namely Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Enterobacter cloacae were obtained through the courtesy of SMS Medical College, Jaipur, which were maintained on Nutrient Broth Medium. Likewise, pure cultures of test fungi, namely Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger, Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans were obtained from the Seed Pathology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, which were maintained on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium.

Media preparation
For the cultivation of bacteria, Nutrient Broth Medium (NBM) was prepared using 8% Nutrient Broth (Difco) in distilled water and agar-agar and sterilized at 15 lbs for 25-30 min. The agar test plates were prepared by pouring ~15 ml of NBM into the petri-dishes (10 mm) under aseptic conditions. The peptone saline solution was prepared (by mixing 3.56 g KH₂PO₄ + 7.23 g NaH₂PO₄ + 4.30 g NaCl + 1.00 g peptone in 1000 ml distilled water, followed by autoclaving) and the bacterial cultures were maintained on this medium by regular subculturing and incubation at 37^oC for 24 hrs. However, for the cultivation of fungi, potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium was prepared by mixing 1000 ml potato infusion prepared from 200 g potatoes, 20 g agar and 20 g dextrose, followed by autoclaving. The test fungi were incubated at 27^oC for 48 hrs and the cultures were maintained on the same medium by regular subculturings. To prepare the test plates, in both bacteria and fungi, 10-15 ml of the respective medium was poured into the petri dishes and used for screening. For assessing the antibacterial efficacy, a fresh suspension of the test bacteria was prepared in saline solution from a freshly grown agar slant, while for fungicidal efficacy, a uniform spread of the test fungi was made using sterile swab.

Paper disc diffusion method
For both, antibacterial and antifungal assays, Disc diffusion method was adopted, because of reproductivity and precision. The different test organisms were preceded separately using a sterile swab over previously sterilized culture medium plates and the zone of inhibitions were measured around sterilized dried discs of Whatman No.1 paper (6 mm in diameter), which were containing 8, 6, 4 and 2 mg/disc of the test extracts and control streptomycin (for bacteria) and ketoconozole (for fungi) as reference drugs separately. Such treated discs were air-dried at room temperature, to remove any residual solvent which might interfere with the determination, sterilized and inoculated. Before incubation, these plates were placed at low temperature for 1 hr so as to allow maximum diffusion of the compound from the test discs into the agar plate and later, incubated at 37^oC for 24 hrs in case of bacteria and 48 hrs of fungi, after which the zone of inhibition could be easily observed. Three replicates of each test extract were examined and the mean values were taken.

Table No. 1:
Antibacterial activity of ethanolic root extract of Ficus racemosa Linn.

Table No. 2:
Anti fungal activity of ethanolic root extract of Ficus racemosa Linn.

The phytochemical screening results indicated the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoidal glycoside, steroids and tannins as the main constituents that might be responsible for antimicrobial activity of the test extract. Flavonoids are hydroxylated phenolic substances occur as C3-C6 unit linked to an aromatic ring. They are known to be synthesized by plant in response to microbial infection. Their activity is probably due to their ability to complex with bacterial cell walls. More lipophilic flavonoids may disrupt the microbial membrane¹. The flavonoids extracted from impatiens roots were believed to be responsible for the antimicrobial activity¹⁸ . Tannins have received a great deal of attention in recent years, since it was suggested that the consumption of tannin containing beverages, especially green teas and red wines, can cure and prevent a variety of ills. Their mode of antimicrobial action may be related to their ability to inactivate microbial adhesion, enzyme, cells envelop transport proteins etc. They also combine with polysaccharides¹. The mode of action of antimicrobial effects of saponins seems to involve membranolytic

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