Preliminary studies on the anti-bacterial effects of water, acetone and ether extracts of different parts of neem tree (Azadirachta indica L.) and neem seed

Aims:The aim of this paper was to determine the anti-microbial effects of different solvent extracts from various parts of the neem tree and neem seeds.Methodology and results: Different parts of the neem tree, such as young shoots, leaves, bark and root, and neem seeds, were extracted using distilled water, acetone and petroleum ether and tested at two different concentrations.Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Micrococcus roseus, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used in this study to test the extracts.Overall, the acetone extracts exhibited higher activity than distilled water and ether extracts, while ether extracts were more effective than the distilled water extracts.Among the strains, M. roseus and S. aureus were sensitive to the different extracts except for the seed extracts at both concentrations.Proteus vulgaris was resistant to all the extracts except the acetone extract of the leaves. Conclusion, significance and impact of study:This study clearly indicates the presence of antimicrobial substances in different parts of the neem tree, with the acetone extract of the leaves being the best, followed by the acetone extract from the root and young shoots.Seed extracts showed the least effect.