Efficiency of common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in controlling growth of fungal and bacterial clinical strains

Abstract

In this paper we have studied the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal potential of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms (the common water hyacinth). The main aim was to find a new source against selected bacterial and fungal species was fractionated. Five fractions i.e. n-hexane, aqueous, chloroform, methanolic extracts and ethyl acetate were prepared and tested against four bacterial strains including MRSA (Methicilline resistance staphylococcus aurous), Streptococcus mutansand, Staphylococcus aurous and Serratia marcescense and four fungal strains i.e Alternaria alternate, polyspondylium pallidum, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavous. The highest antibacterial activity was displayed by n-hexane fraction (46-48%) and the lowest activity was shown by crude methanolic extracts (38-44%) against all the selected bacterial strains. However in antfungal activities the highest activity was shown by crude methanolic extracts (35-65%) against the four selected fungal species and lowest activity was displayed by the aqueous fractions. The other fractions have also shown significant activites.