Pharmacognostic studies and anti-microbial investigation of bark, roots, and cones of Pinus roxburghii sargent

The present study was aimed at the assessment of the anti-microbial potential of extracts of Pinus roxburghii bark, roots, cones, and a combination of these three parts in different solvents such as dist. water, methanol, chloroform, and petroleum-ether prepared by maceration. Pinus roxburghii sargent a medicinal plant belonging to Pinaceae is the world’s oldest terrestrial ornamental plant known as “Chir pine.” Anti-microbial activities were determined against bacteria i.e; Pseudomonas alcaligenes and Xanthomoas campestris and fungi i.e; Alternaria alternata and Fusarium solani by disc and well diffusion methods. Standard discs were Ampicillin and Fluconazole. Petroleum ether and dist. water extracts of roots and cones were selected for antimicrobial investigation due to their maximum inhibitory effects. MIC was determined by serial dilutions. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of roots and cones in petroleum ether and dist. water were 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100mg/ml for bacteria and 150, 175, 200 and 250mg/ml for fungi. Minimum bactericidal and minimum fungicidal concentrations were 100, 125, and 150 mg/ml for petroleum ether roots and cones extracts and 200, 250, and 300 mg/ml for aqueous roots and cones extracts respectively. Roots and cones in petroleum ether showed zone of inhibition i.e., (22±1^a) and (20±1^b) against P. alcaligenes and X. campestris respectively by well diffusion. The same plant parts in aqueous extracts showed ZOI i.e., (23±1^a) and (14±1^d) by well and disc diffusion respectively against A. alternata. Ampicillin showed ZOI i.e., (7±2^c) against P. alcaligenes and (26±1^a) against X. campestris. Fluconazole showed ZOI (22±1^b) against A. alternata. Fluconazole and extracts showed no inhibitory effect on F. solani. From the findings it has been determined that maximum antimicrobial potential was exhibited against Pseudomonas alcaligence, Xanthomonas campestris, and Alternaria alternata by roots and cones in petroleum ether and aqueous extracts. The result showed that P. roxburghii is a promising phytomedicine having antifungal and antibacterial properties.