Short report

Antimicrobial activity of some Indian mosses

Meenakshi Singh

, A.K.S. Rawat, R. Govindarajan
Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology Division, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, India
Received 16 September 2006; accepted 20 October 2006
Available online 14 November 2006
Abstract
The present study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of 15 Indian mosses. The
antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts was investigated against five G(+) and six G() bacterial strains. Antimycotic activity
was assayed against 8 fungi. Sphagnum junghuhnianum, Barbula javanica, Barbula arcuata, Brachythecium populeum, Bra-
chythecium rutabulum, Mnium marginatum and Entodon cf rubicundus were found to be most active against all the organisms.
2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Mosses; Antibacteric activity; Antifungal activity
1. Plants
The moss species: Sphagnum junghuhnianum Doz. et Molk., Barbula javanica Doz. et Molk., Brachythecium
populeum (Hedw.) B.S.G., Brachythecium rutabulum (Hedw.) B.S.G., Macrothamnium submacrocarpum (Ren. et
Card.), Trachypodopsis serrulata (P. Beauv.) Fleisch., Cratoneuron filicinum (Hedw.) Spruc., Mnium marginatum
(With.) P. Beauv., Rhynchostegium vagans Jaeg., Entodon pulchellus (Griff.) Jaeg., Entodon cf rubicundus (Mitt.)
Jeag., Physcomitrium pulchellum (Griff.) Mitt., Barbula arcuata Griff., Thuidium cymbifolium (Doz. et Molk.), and
Anoectangium stracheyanum Mitt. were collected from different bryo-geographical zones of India in different
months and altitudes. Voucher specimens have been deposited in the Herbarium (LWG) of National Botanical Research
Institute, Lucknow.
2. Uses in traditional medicine and reported activities
Apart from two species B. rutabulum and C. filicinum, all are being investigated for the first time [15]. Burn ash of
mosses mixed with fat and honey is used as ointment in the Himalayan region for cuts, burns and wounds [6] (Table 1).
3. Tested material
Ethanolic extracts as listed in Table 1.
Fitoterapia 78 (2007) 156158
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doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2006.10.008
4. Studied activity
Antibacterial and antifungal activity against 19 microorganisms by microdilution method [7].
5. Used microorganisms
Micrococcus luteus MTCC (106), Bacillus subtilis MTCC (121), Bacillus cereus MTCC (430), Enterobacter
aerogenes MTCC (111), Escherichia coli MTCC (443), Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC (109), Proteus mirabilis
MTCC (1429), Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC (429), Staphylococcus aureus MTCC (96), Salmonella typhimurium
MTCC (98) and Streptococcus pneumoniae MTCC (2672), and 8 fungi Candida albicans MTCC (183), Cryptococ-
cus albidus MTCC (2661), Trichophyton rubrum MTCC (296), Aspergillus niger MTCC (16404), Aspergillus flavus
Table 2
Antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extracts of 15 mosses
Mosses Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) (g/ml)
Ml Bs Bc Ea Ec Kp Pm Pa Sa St Sp
S. junghuhnianum 0.76 1.56 3.12 1.56 1.56 0,19 0.19 1.56 1.56 1.56 0.76
B. javanica 0.76 1.56 0.38 1.56 0.76 1.56 3.12 0.76 3.12 3.12 1.56
B. arcuata 0.76 1.56 1.56 6.25 1.56 1.56 6.25 3.12 3.12 6.25 6.25
B. populeum 3.12 3.12 3.12 6.25 1.56 1.56 1.56 6.25 1.56 3.12 1.56
B. rutabulum 0.76 1.56 1.56 0.76 1.56 1.56 1.56 0.38 1.56 1.56 1.56
M. submacrocarpum 6.25 3.12 1.56 1.56 3.12 6.25 6.25 1.56
T. serrulata 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 3.12 3.12 1.56 1.56 6.25 6.25
C. filicinum 1.56 1.56 3.12 1.56 1.56 3.12
M. marginatum 1.56 1.56 0.76 1.56 0.76 1.56 3.12 0.76 1.56 1.56 1.56
R. vagans 0.76 1.56 1.56 6.25 1.56 3.12 3.12 3.12 3.12 6.25 3.12
E. pulchellus 3.12 1.56 6.25 1.56 6.25 3.12 3.12 3.12 6.25
E. cf rubicundus 1.56 1.56 6.25 6.25 6.25 1.56 1.56 3.12 6.25 3.12 1.56
P. pulchellum 0.19 1.56 3.12 1.56 1.56 1.56 0.76 1.56 3.12
T. cymbifolium 0.19 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 3.12 1.56 1.56 1.56 0.76
A. stracheyanum 0.76 3.12 1.56 1.56
Gentamicin 3.90 1.95 0.97 0.48 3.90 0.48 7.81 0.97 0.24 0.97 3.90
No inhibition.
Ml Micrococcus luteus, Bs Bacillus subtilis, BC Bacillus cereus, Ea Enterobacter aerognes, Ec Escherichia coli, Kp Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Pm Proteus mirabilis, Pa Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Sa Staphylococcus aureus, St Salmonella typhimurium, Sp
Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Table 1
Indian mosses
Plants Family and voucher number Locality Altitude Activity
S. junghuhnianum Sphagnaceae LWG 225302 Singalila National Park, Darjeeling 8500 ft
B. javanica Pottiaceae ERC 43/2000 Behta Picnic Spot RaeBareli U.P. 630 ft
B. arcuata Pottiaceae LWG 226918 Residency Lucknow 600 ft
B. populeum Brachytheciaceae LWG 226945 Company Garden Mussoorie 6300 ft
B. rutabulum Brachytheciaceae LWG 226973 Shutalakhet Almora 8000 ft Antiviral [1], antibacterial [2]
M. submacrocarpum Hylocomiaceae LWG 226921 Chamoli Uttaranchal 10,000 ft
T. serrulata Trachypodaceae LWG 226951 Company Garden Mussoorie 6400 ft
C. filicinum Amblystegiaceae LWG 226967 Sahastradhara Dehradun 2200 ft Antibacterial [3] antifungal [4,5]
M. marginatum Mniaceae LWG 226948 Company Garden Mussoorie 6300 ft
R. vegans Brachytheciaceae LWG 226950 Company Garden Mussoorie 6000 ft
E. pulchellus Entodontaceae LWG 226962 Camel's back road Mussoorie 600 ft
E. cf rubicundus Entodontaceae LWG 226971 Shutalakhet Almora 8000 ft
P. pulchellum Funariaceae LWG 226924 Manas Vihar, Indira Nagar, Lucknow 600 ft
T. cymbifolium Thuidioideae LWG 226972 Shutalakhet Almora 8000 ft
A. stracheyanum Pottiaceae LWG 226952 Company Garden Mussoorie 6400 ft
157 M. Singh et al. / Fitoterapia 78 (2007) 156158
MTCC (1973), Aspergillus spinulosus MTCC (16919), Aspergillus terreus MTCC (1782) and Aspergillus nidulans
MTCC (11267).
6. Results
The antibacterial activity is reported in Table 2 and antifungal activity in Table 3.
7. Conclusion
S. junghuhnianum, B. javanica, B. arcuata, B. populeum, B. rutabulum, M. marginatum and E. rubicundus were
found to be most active against all the organisms. The results of the present investigation, along with earlier reports,
clearly indicate that bryophytes including mosses may prove to be a very good and new source of antimicrobial agents.
This justifies the use of the some of the species like S. junghuhnianum, B. javanica, B. populeum, B. rutabulum, M.
marginatum, E. rubicundus and B. arcuata mosses which are being used to cure infectious and skin diseases in human
beings and provides opportunity to work on the other bryophytes for further pharmacological validation.
References
[1] Hoof L, Van DA, Berghe V, Pett E, Vlietinck AJ. Fitoterapia 1981;52:223.
[2] Bohlin E, Hamalainer M, Sunder T. Soil Sci 1989;147:252.
[3] Banerjee RD, Sen SP. Bryologist 1979;82:141.
[4] Anderson WH, Hawkins JM, Hellerman JL, Schlenk H, Hattori J. Bot Lab 1974;38:99.
[5] Asakawa H. Bryophyte development, physiology and biochemistry. In: Chopra RN, Bhatia SC, editors. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1990.
[6] Pant G, Tewari SD, Pargaien MC, Bisht LS. Bryol Times 1986;29:2.
[7] Zgoda IR, Porter JR. Pharm Biol 2001;39:221.
Table 3
Antifungal activity of the ethanolic extracts of 15 moss extracts
Mosses Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) (g/ml)
Ca Crypto. A An Af As At Ani Tr
S. junghuhnianum 0.76 1.56 0.38 1.56 1.15 1.56 0.76 0.38
B. javanica 1.56 1.56 6.25 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56
B. arcuata 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 6.25 6.25 3.12 6.25
B. populeum 0.19 0.38 0.19 0.38 0.38 1.56 0.38 0.76
B. rutabulum 0.76 1.56 0.38 1.56 1.56 1.56 0.19 0.76
M. submacrocarpum 6.25 1.56 3.12 6.25 6.25
T. serrulata 3.12 6.25 3.12
C. filicinum 3.12
M. marginatum 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 0.38
R. vagans 3.12
E. pulchellus 3.12 6.25 1.56 3.12 6.25 3.12 3.12
E. cf rubicundus 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.25 1.56 3.12 6.25 6.25
P. pulchellum
T. cymbifolium 1.56 1.56 0.19 6.25 3.12
A. stracheyanum 1.56 1.56
Ketoconazole 0.48 7.81 15.62 3.90 1.45 3.90 15.62 1.95
No inhibition.
Ca Candida albicans, Crypto. A Cryptococcus albidus, An Aspergillus niger, Af Aspergillus flavus, At Aspergillus terreus, Ani
Aspergillus nidulans, As Aspergillus spinulosus, Tr Trichophyton rubrum.
158 M. Singh et al. / Fitoterapia 78 (2007) 156158