  Bacopa monnieri was also known as Brahmi. Theses plant has been considered as
medicinal plants in Ayurvedic systems for centuries. This present study was
carried out to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal properties of
ethanolic, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and aqueous extracts of B. monnieri.
Agar disc diffusion tests were carried out to determine the antimicrobial
effects of ethanolic, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts of B.
monnieri against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923),
Gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922) bacterial strains and antifungal
strains (Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans). Among the various extracts,
diethyl ether extracts of B. monnieri has an antibacterial potency against
Staphylococcus aureus (gram positive), and ethyl acetate extract showed effects
on E. coli (gram negative) at higher concentrations of 300 microgam mL-1. The
ethanolic extract has potent antifungal activity against the fungus
(Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans) compared to diethyl ether and ethyl
acetate-ether. Both extracts (diethyl ether and ethyl acetate) has a minimum
antifungal effect while these extracts showed more inhibitory effects on tested
bacteria. Inhibitory effects of the aqueous extract were not observed at all
concentration (100 microgam mL-1, 200 microgam mL-1and 300 microgam mL-1)
against the entire examined bacterial and fungal species. The finding of this
study indicates the antibacterial and antifungal activity exhibited by the
ethanolic, diethyl ether, and ethyl acetate extract of B. monnieri can be
validated to the management of medicinal plant throughout the world.
