ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE RIPENED AND UNRIPENED CULTIVARS OF MUSA X PARADISIACA L. (BANANA).N. JYOTHIRMAYI, S.H.K.R. PRASAD AND N. MALLIKARJUNA RAOAbstract Banana a locally available with pomological significance has been exploited commercially from ancient times shows certain pharmaceutical uses viz., antibacterial, antimalarial, antitumorous and antiparasitic properties. Musa x paradiasaca L. a local cultivar is used clinically for dietary purposes and for some intestinal disorders, but its beneficial effects have never been attributed to the presence of antibiotic substances. The antibacterial activity of solvent extracts of Musa sp. were evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer method against gram-positive bacteria such as Micrococcus flavus and Bacillus cereus and gram-negative bacteria viz, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Phytochemical analysis of extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids and steroids. The spectra of activities displayed by the extracts can be attributed to the presence of these phytochemicals which signifies the potential of banana as a source of therapeutic agents and may provide focus in the on going search for antimicrobial agents. Hence the present investigation was undertaken to study the antibacterial activity of fruit pulp of aqueous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts of local varieties of both ripened and unripened Musa sp.
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