European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SYNERGISTIC ACTIONS OF RUBIA CORDIFOLIA STEM EXTRACT WITH MEROPENEM AND POLYMYXIN B AGAINST DIFFERENT BACTERIA

Debasmita Dutta, Sambit Dutta and Satadal Das*

ABSTRACT

Emerging global bacterial drug resistance is now included all life saving antibiotics. With no newer antimicrobials in the pipeline, human race stands critically regarding effective treatment of infectious diseases. This may lead to exponential rise of morbidity and mortality rates in infectious diseases as most of the critically ill patients are usually suffering from infectious diseases. Natural products of plants are a rich resource of newer antimicrobials. Rubia cordifolia – the extract of the stem of this plant, which we have studied in this paper, is a well known antimicrobial agent; however, there is no study on any synergistic effect of this extract with life saving antibiotics. Our aim in this study was to explore this area, which may help the mankind. Our study revealed definite synergistic action of this extract with meropenem and polymyxin B against E. coli, Shigella and Salmonella in disc diffusion tests, while MIC of the extract ranges between 0.39- 3.125 mg/ml against these bacteria. Thus the results of this study delineates a possibility of utilizing this extract in combination with these antibiotics, as this extract is nontoxic and used in some foods for a long time.

Keywords: Rubia cordifolia, Meropenem, Polymyxin B, Synergy.