ANTIBACTERIAL POTENTIAL OF Acorus calamus EXTRACTS AGAINST THE MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT NOSOCOMIAL PATHOGENS

The universal raise of multidrug resistance (MDR) in both the public and health-related microbial infections have defective the existing antibacterial therapeutics, deserving the seek for other substitutes. The present study aimed to explore the in-vitro antibacterial potential of ethanolic and chloroform extracts of Acorus calamus root against the identified nosocomial pathogens of the wound. Fifty wound and skin specimens were together from the hospitals in and around the Namakkal. Microscopy and biochemical profiling explored a total of 57 gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens viz Staphylococcus aureus (13: 23%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15: 26%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (8: 14%), Klebsiella oxytoca (4: 7%), Acinetobacter baumanii (8: 14%), and E.coli (9: 16%). The susceptibility and resistance pattern was observed for all the isolates with the use of Tetracycline, Gentamycin, and Chloramphenicol by Kirby-Bauer assay. The evaluated A.calamus extract showed to maintain a series of in vitro bactericidal potential towards the isolated pathogens and a zone of inhibition was found for all six isolates. A. calamus rhizome was extracted with different solvents viz ethanolic and chloroform by micro-wave-assisted extraction. The ethanolic extract explored the highest inhibition of 18 mm on K. pneumonia at 60 µg concentrations and the least inhibition of 15 mm was found in K. oxytoca. Chloroform extract showed the maximum inhibition on S. aureus 16mm and minimum inhibition on K. oxytoca 14mm. The statistical analyses were done by using the software SPSS-11. The current study evidenced that the antibacterial potential of A. calamus root induces a rapid, healing of the wound.