In Vitro Antimicrobial Activities of Cicer arietinum L (Chickpea)

Purpose: To evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the extracts of the seed, fruit skin and aerial parts of ten registered varieties of Cicer arietinum (Chickpea) Method: Susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and used an inhibition endpoint for determination of the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC). The tests were carried out by microdilution method against standard strains of E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, B. subtilis, and E. faecalis for their antibacterial activity using ampicillin and oflaxocin as reference standards, and against C. albicans with ketocanazole and flukonazole as reference standards for antifungal activity. Results: Chickpea seed extracts (Cse) showed antibacterial activity against Gram-negative strains (E. coli, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae) in the concentration range of 16–64 μg ml^-1 but were less active (concentration of 64 μg ml^-1) against Gram-positive strains (S. aureus, B. subtilis and E. faecalis) . Conclusion: This is the first report showing that C. arietinum extracts has substantial antifungal activity at a concentration as low as 8 μg ml^-1