Inertness and the indiscriminate use of synthetic polymers leading to increased land and water pollution are of great concern. Plastic is the most useful synthetic polymer, employed in wide range of applications viz. the packaging industries, agriculture, household practices, etc. Unpredicted use of synthetic polymers is leading towards the accumulation of increased solid waste in the natural environment. This affects the natural system and creates various environmental hazards. Plastics are seen as an environmental threat because they are difficult to degrade. This review describes the occurrence and distribution of microbes that are involved in the degradation of both natural and synthetic polymers. Much interest is generated by the degradation of existing plastics using microorganisms. It seems that biological agents and their metabolic enzymes can be exploited as a potent tool for polymer degradation. Bacterial and fungal species are the most abundant biological agents found in nature and have distinct degradation abilities for natural and synthetic polymers.

The plant has the potential to generate herbal metabolites. The crude extracts demonstrating anti-dental caries activity could result in the discovery of new chemical classes of antibiotics. These chemical classes of antibiotics could serve as selective agents for the maintenance of human health and provide bio-chemical tools for the study of infectious diseases.

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The inclusive information is provided in present review on traditional uses, antimicrobial activity and pharmacology of Moringa oleifera Lam. It is commonly known as ‘drumstick tree’. M. oleifera is alternative tonic, astringent, emollient, aphrodisiac etc. Bark of this plant is considered as cooling. Seeds of this plant are considered as aphoradisiac. It has a depressant rather than a stimulant effect on the central nervous system. Many pharmacological investigations have been carried out based on its chemical constituents. Extensive literature survey revealed many pharmacological properties includes antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antimutagenic, anticlastogenic, anti-fertility, antiulcer, antioxidant, antiviral and wound healing activities

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In present study, Althaea officinalis seed extracts and essential oil were screened for antimicrobial activity against five bacteria and one fungi responsible for dominant, lethal or opportunistic infection of respiratory regions. The maximum inhibition was noted by essential oil against Streptococcus pyogenes (21.3±0.28 mm) and Haemophilus influenzae (19.0±0.50 mm) at 200 mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentration values for methanol extract was 3.12-12.5 mg/ml. The antifungal activity noted highest with 41.28% by essential oil and 36.27% inhibition by aqueous extract represented by dosage-response curve. Key words:Althaea officinalis, antimicrobial, dosageresponse curve, minimum inhibitory concentration, respiratory tract infections INTRODUCTIONPlants are the pavement bricks of all the living organisms on the earth. They produce a wide range of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins and terpenes that can be used to treat various chronic and infectious diseases (Reichling, 2010). In recent years, increasing strains of microorganisms throughout the world have developed resistance to large number of antibiotics that has created immense clinical problem and made the management of infectious diseases quite complicated (Davis, 1994). The way to avoid antibiotic resistance of pathogenic species is by using plant based compounds rather than existing synthetic antimicrobial agents (Shah, 2005). Althaea officinalis Linn. (Malvaceae) is commonly known as Khatmi in Hindi and Marshmallow in English. It is native of British Isles and found in temperate regions of India, currently it is distributed throughout Europe and some parts of America (Ross, 2001). A. officinalis is a perennial herb 60-120 cm high. Stem is erect, woody and unbranched. Leaves are short-petioled with an ovate and acute leaf blade. Shiv Shanker Gautam, Department of Botany and Microbiology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar-249404, Uttarakhand, India mail id: gautam12shiv@gmail.com The reddish-white flowers are usually in axillary or terminal cluster. Compressed dark brown kidney-shaped seeds are glabrous (Ozkan and Uzunhisarcikli, 2009). A. officinalis is used in irritation of oral, pharyngeal mucosa and associated dry cough, mild gastritis, skin burns, insect bites, catarrh of the mouth, throat, gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract, inflammation, ulcers, abscesses, burns, constipation and diarrhoea. Seeds are diuretic and febrifuge (Shah, 2011). * Corresponding AuthorIt has been used as an aid in promoting coughing up of phlegm and respiratory problems. Due to high contents of polysaccharides, it is used in relieving dryness and chest and throat irritation happened by colds and persistent coughing (Sutovska et al., 2007). A. officinalis has a broader spectrum of antibacterial as well as antifungal activity. The antibacterial activity of A. officinalis roots were tested against anaerobic and facultative aerobic periodontal bacteria (Lauk et al., 2003). Many researches showed that A. off...

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