Antimicrobial Activity of Azadirachta indica, against Target Pathogens and Its Utility as a Disinfectant and Floor Cleaner

BACKGROUND Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, neem tree or Indian lilac, Limbo, Nim, Nimba, Medusa and Vempu. It is typically grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Neem belongs to family meliaceae. Neem is a native tree of India. It is also called “village pharmacy of south Asia” (India) because of its enormous medicinal properties and people use it most of the time without knowing its multiple advantages. This study was done to know the efficacy of medicinal plant named Azadirachta indica (Neem) against pathogenic microorganisms and about its utility as disinfectant and floor cleaner. METHODS Agar well diffusion method, Culture plate method, inoculum preparation & its subculture methods were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of the neem leaf extract. Different concentrations of neem leaf extracts in culture plates were used for the study. In this method inhibited zones were measured. RESULTS Neem leaf extracts showed considerable antimicrobial activity against four target pathogens. In agar well diffusion method it showed maximum antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus and Staphylococcus aureus. Growth of inhibition was increased as the concentration of the neem extract in agar media increased and was maximum for Staphylococcus aureus. CONCLUSIONS The extract of A. indica, has antimicrobial activity against target pathogens Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, and E.coli. With the old medicinal knowledge on neem, better economic and therapeutic utilization can be done by using modern approaches of drug development. KEY WORDS Neem Leaf extract, Antimicrobial Activity, Agar Well Diffusion Test, Zone of Inhibition