Effect of methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide extracts of different parts of Euphorbia Hirta L. on Staphylococcus aureus

Effect of methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide extracts of leaf, bud and stem, of a medicinal plant-Euphorbia hirta L. were examined using agar disc diffusion method against test bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Euphorbia hirta has been widely known as asthma weed, basri dudhi. The herb grows widely in tropical countries like Australia and widely found in India. It has been used by villagers as traditional medicine in a treatment against infectious pathogens. Euphorbia hirta L. is a perennial herb belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Maximum in vitro inhibition of tested bacteria Staphylococcus aureus was reported in leaf or bud extract of E.hirta using methanol as solvent which offeres Zone of Inhibition of 20 mm and Zone of Inhibition Area of 471.00 mm². In dimethyl sulfoxide solvent, both leaf and bud extracts, offered same inhibition zone of 15 mm and Zone of Inhibition area of 294.38 mm². These results may suggest the distribution of bioactive compound in different aerial parts of Euphorbia hirta L that can be explored further for the isolation and characterization of the compound.