Distribution of Asteraceae along the altitudinal gradient from Kallar to Doddabetta, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract :

Calotropis gigantea and Ficus religiosa leaves were collected and the antibacterial activity was determined against some
human pathogens. The leaves of Calotropis gigantean and Ficus religiosa were extracted with aqueous, ethanol and
methanol by using solvent extraction method. The human pathogens were isolated from wound samples and the
isolates were characterized morphologically and biochemically and identified. They were identified as E.coli, Bacillus
subtilis Enterbacter aerogenes, pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibacterial activity of the solvent leaf extracts of C. gigantean
and F. religiosa as determined by using agar well diffusion method. The aqueous extract of C. gigantea inhibited the
growth of bacterial pathogens effectively at 100μl/ml concentration. The phytochemcial analysis of the plants showed
the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, phenols, steroids, saponin and resins, and the results are
discussed.