Abstract

• The global burden of microbial infection is very high and antibiotic resistance leads to failed treatment of infections, which can ultimately lead to death. To overcome antibiotic resistance, it is necessary to find new antimicrobial agents. In this study, twenty medicinal plants which are traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases in Kalonehtar village tract, Yebyu Township were selected to examine their antimicrobial potential against five pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans. This research was performed at Department of Botany at University of Yangon in 2019. The extraction of phytopharmaceuticals from twenty medicinal plants was performed by using Ultrasound assisted solvent extraction technique. The polar solvent, methanol (80%) was employed for extraction process. The result showed that phytopharmaceuticals from Symphorema involucratum (20.6%) and Portulaca oleracea (20.2%) were the most soluble in methanol where as Peperomia pellucida (3.2%) was the least soluble in methanol. The antimicrobial activity of selected medicinal plants was conducted by paper disc diffusion method. It was revealed that the methanol extract of selected medicinal plants such as Piper cubeba, Amomum subulatum showed the higher antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli (20 mm), Dracaena angustifolia, Emilia sonchifolia, Pittosporum glabratum showed the highest inhibitions (22mm-32mm) on Pseudomonas aeruginosa whereas Melastoma malabathricum exhibited the significant activity (32mm) on Staphylococcus aureus ,the plants Amomum subulatum , Glycosmis pentaphylla , Portulaca oleracea , Homonoia riparia showed the activity (20 mm-28 mm) on Bacillus subtilis. Moreover, the result showed that Homonoia riparia Lour. posses antifungal activity (30mm) on Candida albicans. The present findings indicated that the active chemical compound responsible for the antimicrobial action must be a polar soluble compound.