Synergistic Antibacterial Activity of Lantana camara L., Parthenium hysterophorus L., Cannabis sativa L. and Justicia adhatoda L. Leaves Extract against Procured Multi-drug Resistant Bacteria In Vitro

The scientific study of this research has been focused on synergistic antibacterial activity of two weed plants, Lantana camara L., Parthenium hysterophorus L. alongwith two medicinal plants, Cannabis sativa L., Justicia adhatoda L. against multi- drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. Dried leaf powders of the plants were extracted using air-dried method followed by the ethanol- solvent extraction method for the crude extract of the leaves. The crude extracts were tested for antibacterial activity against three MDR bacteria, that is, one Gram positive bacteria- Staphylococcus aureus and two Gram negative bacteria- Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. Out of 18 antibiotics tested against procured bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus was resistant to 10 out of 10 tested antibiotics, Escherichia coli was resistant to 4 out of 12 tested antibiotics and Proteus mirabilis was resistant to 9 out of 10 tested antibiotics. The tested weed plants and the medicinal plants when combined together showed more zone of inhibition against multidrug resistant bacteria ( Two combinations of phytochemicals Lantana camara, Cannabis sativa and Lantana camara, Cannabis sativa, Justicia adhatoda, Parthenium hysterophorus showed maximum zones of inhibition, that is, 30 mm) as compared to when these plants were tested solitarily, showing pronounced antibacterial activity. These findings showed that the antibacterial activity enhanced when they were combined together and this potential could be used against various infectious diseases with more research and modification in this area. Weed plants also holds as much importance as the medicinal plants although not to that extent, but they clearly inhibit the growth of bacteria and this property of weeds along with the medicinal plants holds a promising future in treating many diseases caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria on the pharmaceutical level.