Introduction: Bacterial and fungal diseases devastate food crops like rice, wheat, maize, potato, etc. which could otherwise nourish those suffering from food insecurity. These crops constitute the primary source of calories ingested by individuals. Therefore, researchers seek novel antibacterial and antifungal chemicals from natural sources, which are less hazardous to human health and the environment.
Aim & Objective: The study aims to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal properties of methanolic extract prepared from the stem part of Terminalia chebula, commonly known as harad, using in vitro methods.
Materials and Methods: The antibacterial efficacy was determined against two gram-positive and three gram-negative bacterial strains using the agar well diffusion assay, while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined through serial microdilution testing. Additionally, the antifungal activity against three phytopathogenic fungi was analyzed using the poisoned food technique, where varying concentrations of the extract were incorporated into sterilized potato dextrose agar (PDA) to measure fungal growth inhibition.
Results: The results demonstrated strongest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, exhibiting an inhibition zone of 17 ± 0.7 mm. In antifungal testing, the extract showed highest efficacy against Bipolaris specifera, with an IC50 value of 0.95 ± 0.01 mg/mL.
Conclusion: Terminalia chebula (harad) exhibits significant antimicrobial properties, likely attributable to its rich phytochemical composition. The methanol extract of harad stem shows particular promise for managing infections caused by the studied pathogens, thereby validating its traditional ethnomedicinal applications.
