Antibacterial activity of leaves and pitchers extract of Nepenthes gracilis against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli

Abstract

Nepenthes gracilis known as pitcher plant grow mostly in the highland of Malaysia and had been used for ages as traditional medicine for human being. This present study was to evaluate the potential of ethanolic extract of leaf and pitcher of Nepenthes gracilis in antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity was determined by using agar disk diffusion method against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. The leaf showed inhibitory activity with the zone of inhibition ranging from 16 mm to 20 mm while for pitcher the zone inhibition showed at range 8 mm to 10 mm when tested against Escherichia coli. Whereas, the leaf and pitcher extract showed inhibitory activity of zone inhibition ranging from 12 mm to 20 mm and 8 mm to 12 mm respectively when tested against Bacillus subtilis. The phytochemical screening for both leaf and pitcher extract showed the presence of saponin, flavonoid, phenol and glycoside.

Keywords: Nepenthes gracilis; antibacterial activity.