International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 13 Issue: 01 | Jan 2026
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
SYNERGISTIC ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF RICINUS COMMUNIS LEAF EXTRACTS WITH CHLORAMPHENICOL AGAINST STREPTOCOCCUS AUREUS, ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS, KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE, AND PROTEUS VULGARIS. M.Kavitha*1, S.Sonali*2, R.Sowmiya*3, K.Sriganth*4 1 Assistant Professor, Sri Vijay Vidyalaya College of Pharmacy, Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu (India) 2, 3, 4 B. Pharm Students, Sri Vijay Vidyalaya College of Pharmacy, Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu (India)
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ABSTRACT- The study investigated the synergistic antibacterial effect of Ricinus communis extracts combined with
chloramphenicol against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Ethanolic and acetone extracts were evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. The combined treatment showed greater antibacterial activity than plant extracts alone, with the ethanolic extract being more effective than the acetone extract. Notable synergistic effects were observed, particularly against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris. These results indicate that Ricinus communis can enhance the efficacy of chloramphenicol and may be useful as an adjunct in antimicrobial therapy. Keywords: Synergistic activity, Chloramphenicol, Antibacterial activity.
I. INTRODUCTION: Rising antibiotic resistance has made bacterial infections a serious global health threat, creating an urgent need for new, effective, and safer antimicrobial agents. Medicinal plants are valuable alternatives to synthetic drugs because they are easily available, biodegradable, less toxic, and rich in antimicrobial secondary metabolites like alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids. Ricinus communis (castor plant) is widely used in traditional medicine, and its leaves are known for treating infections, inflammation, and wounds, suggesting strong antimicrobial potential. Extraction solvents influence antimicrobial activity. This study evaluates ethanol and acetone leaf extracts of R. communis using the agar diffusion method against Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria, comparing their effectiveness with the standard antibiotic chloramphenicol to support the development of plant-based antimicrobials.
Fig: 01 Ricinus communis
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Collection and identification of plant: The plant leaves were gathered in December 2025 from the Dharmapuri district, and the specimen was verified by a siddha medicinal plants garden (Central Council for Research in Siddha), Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India.
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