Areca catechu Linn. possesses medicinal value, in particular, antimicrobial activity. The present study reveals the sensitivity of some pathogenic bacteria to areca nut extracts. In this study the antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of areca nut (seed of Areca catechu Linn.) against 7 species of pathogenic bacteria were investigated. Methanol extract inhibited the bacterial growth more effectively than the aqueous extract. Growth of Klebsiella sp., Bacillus sp., Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus were inhibited by the methanol extracts of areca nut. Aqueous extract alone inhibited the growth of Salmonella paratyphi. Proteus and E. coli were resistant to both the extracts.
Areca catechu, areca nut, antimicrobial, antibacterial, Disc diffusion, methanol extract, aqueous extract
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