ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIDIABETICS AND LARVICIDAL ACTIVITY OF Vitex negundo AND Ocimum basilicum L. EXTRACTS

Plants are one of the essential sources of medicines. About 150 aromatic plants are of the family, found in tropical areas and a few have got medicinal properties. Basil is
one such plant used traditionally for a household remedy against human ailments from antiquity and is extensively used by the tribal people for common colds, headaches,
abdomen disorders, inflammation, heart diseases, malaria, and anthelmintic. Vitex negundo belonging to the Verbenaceae family is an aromatic shrub, used to treat jaundice,
toothache, wounds, asthma, eye pain, etc. Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial, antidiabetic and larvicidal activity were performed for the extracts of Vitex negundo
and Ocimum basilicum. The treatment of various bacterial infections was investigated for in-vitro antimicrobial activity against pathogens namely Staphylococcus aureus,
Escherichia coli, by disc diffusion method. Initially, the agar diffusion method led to results expressed within the dimension of the inhibition zone. Plant active compounds
have anti-diabetic properties and can be used to treat diabetes mellitus. Inhibitory activity was measured using the spectrophotometric method. The α-amylase activity
was measured at λ = 540 nm. The extracts of these plants were observed for larvicidal activity and the percentage of molarity was calculated. The leaf extract of Ocimum
basilicum had the highest larval mortality when tested against Aedes aegypti larvae. Keywords: Vitex negundo, Ocimum basilicum, antibacterial activity, antidiabetic
activity, larvicidal activity