Antibacterial Activity of Seed Extracts of Commercial and Wild Lathyrus Species

Butanolic extract of seeds from 2 different Lathyrus species (Lathyrus ratan [commercial variety] and L. aphaca [wild variety]), were investigated for their in vitro antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity against plant and human pathogenic bacteria was evaluated on the basis of inhibition zones (IZs) measured by disc diffusion method. The maximum inhibition was shown by L. ratan against the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. L. aphaca seeds also showed inhibition but were inactive against Klebsiella pneumoniae. L. ratan extract was more active than L. aphaca. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for both the seeds (in ىg/ml) were also determined. The lowest value was obtained for Staphylococcus aureus [MIC-76.25 (L.a.) 78.5 (L.r.) MBC- 112.6 (L.a.) 98.35 (L.r.)]; thus this bacterium was most inhibited by the seed extract, whereas Bacillus subtilis was least inhibited, as indicated by MIC [(98.50 (L.a.) 96.2 (L.r.)] and MBC [169.50 (L.a.) 151.2 (L.r.)] values.