Anti microbial studies of the volatile constituents of buck wheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)

The volatile constituents i.e. essential oils were seperated from the leaves of Buck Wheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) by steam distillation method and the antimicrooial activities (both antifungal and antibacterial) were tested by Filter paper disc diffusion method using nutrient agar 2% petri plates previously seeded with test species. The antimicrobial activity was expressed in terms of diameter of the Zone of inhibition. The essential oil of Fagopyrum esculation was found to be more active against fungal species Aspergillus Fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Microspermum gypsum and Rhizophus stoionifera and was found to retain the activity even at dilution of 1: 20. The essential oil of Fagopyrum esculentum was also found to be more active against bacteriai species Esculentum coil, Klebsiella pneumoniae, pseudomonas aeruginosa, salmonella newport, staphylococcusn aureus and was found to retain its activity even at a dilution of 1: 20.