Abstract
Antibacterial activity of essential oils of fruit of ajwain [Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague] and leaves and inflorescence of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) was studied against Acidovorax sp. using disk diffusion method. Two antibiotics namely streptomycin and kanamycin were used as reference compounds. Efficacy of the two antibiotics and the essential oils was assessed in terms of diameters of inhibition zones formed against the growth of the target bacterial species. Different concentrations of streptomycin (75, 150, 225, 300 μg 5μL-1 ) and kanamycin (62.5, 125, 187.5, 250 μg 5μL-1 ) formed inhibition zones of 12–22 mm and 16–17 mm, respectively. Efficacy of different doses (1.25, 2.5, 3.75, 5.0 μL) of essential oils of T. ammi fruit was better than either of the two antibiotics with inhibition zones of 21–29 mm. Likewise, inhibition zones formed by the same doses of essential oils of leaves and flowers of O. basilicum were 7.4–10 mm and 7–9.3 mm, respectively. The present study concludes that T. ammi and O. basilicum contain essential oils with potent antibacterial activity
