Antibacterial Activity of Imperata cylindrica Root Fractions against Pathogenic Bacteria
Antibiotic resistance has increased the need for new antibacterial agents from natural sources. This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of ethanolic root extract fractions of Imperata cylindrica against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Root powder was extracted with 70% ethanol and sequentially fractionated using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and distilled water. Antibacterial activity was determined by the disk diffusion method at concentrations of 62.5–500 mg/mL. The most active fraction was further analyzed using thin-layer chromatography and silica gel column chromatography. The n-butanol fraction exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity, producing inhibition zones of 11.50, 9.00, and 8.17 mm against S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa, respectively, at 500 mg/mL. Column chromatography generated 92 vials that were combined into nine subfractions. These findings indicate that the n-butanol fraction is a promising source of antibacterial compounds for further isolation and characterization.