ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF VITEX NEGUNDO LEAVE EXTRACT AGAINST METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA)

*Corresponding Author Email: smgaddad@gmail.com ABSTRACT Objective: MRSA has threatened the hospital and community settings because of their severity of infections and fast acquiring MDR status. Ethnomedicine as a therapeutic approach has promising solutions in the treatment of skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. In the present study, we have evaluated the antibacterial activity of Vitex negundo against Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Methodology: Extracts from the leaves of V. negundo were prepared by maceration method using polar and non-polar solvents. MRSA ATCC 43300 culture was obtained from Himedia (India). Antibacterial activity was determined by Agar well diffusion method. Results: Both polar and non-polar solvent extracts of V. negundo showed significant antimicrobial activities against MRSA. Highest activity of 19 mm was observed for n-hexane extract which is higher than the zone observed for vancomycin. Similarly, ethyl acetate, pet ether and acetone extract showed very good activity, while methanol and chloroform extracts were moderately active. This is the first report on antibacterial activity of Vitex negundo extracts against MRSA. Conclusion: Ethnomedicine is an alternate approach in exploring bio-control agents. Investigation of medicinal plant compounds in finding the newer targets to overcome the pathogenicity of disease causing S. aureus could be the base for future research.