Abstract
Background: Plant-derived antimicrobial agents remain an arena for research to overcome the issues pertaining to microbial resistance and adverse effects associated with synthetic drugs.

Aims and Objectives: The present study is being performed to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activity of Cynodon dactylon.

Materials and Methods: The methanol and n-butanol extracts of C. dactylon were prepared. The inoculum was prepared from stock cultures containing nutrient broth (antibacterial activity) and Sabouraud dextrose broth (antifungal activity) and incubated at 37°C (24 h) and at room temperature (48 h) respectively. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of n-butanol and methanol extracts of C. dactylon were screened with the aid of agar disc diffusion method on Muller-Hinton agar medium and Sabouraud dextrose agar medium respectively at 1000 μg/ml, 750 μg/ml, and 500 μg/ml concentrations. The measurement of diameter of zone of inhibition was performed and compared with controls-ampicillin for antibacterial activity and amphotericin-B for antifungal activity.

Results: Methanol extract of C. dactylon was observed to have good antibacterial activity with Salmonella, Staphylococcus sps. being susceptible, and good antifungal activity against Aspergillus, Penicillium and Trichoderma viride at 1000 μg/ml. The n-butanol extract also had good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sps., and good antifungal activity against Aspergillus, Penicillium and T. viridae at 1000 μg/ml.

Conclusion: From this study, we found that C. dactylon has promising antibacterial activity against Salmonella, Staphylococcus, E. coli, Pseudomonas, and potential antifungal activity against Aspergillus, Penicillium, T. viridae, Candida sps..