Pterygospermin: the Antibacterial Principle of Moringa pterygosperma, Gaertn

Abstract

THE discovery and use of penicillin and streptomycin has led to a search for similar antibiotics in other fungi and in higher plants. Systematic studies conducted in these laboratories¹ have shown the possibilities of a number of plant materials, reported in Indian medicine, which contain antibiotic substances effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. In a recent publication² a plant antibiotic effective against even acid-fast organisms has been described. The present communication deals with the antibacterial properties of the extracts of the root of Moringa pterygosperma.