Antimicrobial screening of Alfalfa(Medicago sativa) in various bacterial strains

Abstract

According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome under nourishment particularly among women and children . The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. The alfalfa seeds contains 18.9% of protein when compare with egg (13.1%), milk(3.3%),beef(16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of anti microbial activity of alfalfa seed extract against five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus using well diffusion method . . Inhibition zones were significantly different (P< 0.001) based on concentration of extract. The maximum inhibition was seen in 300?g/ml concentration of extract. The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of alfalfa extract to Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus were also determined The maximum amount of inhibition was observed in gram positive bacterial strains.