- The plant Vernonia cinerea of the family Asteraceae is widely distributed in the most tropical and subtropical part of the India. It is commonly known as ‘Sahadevi’. According to Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia of India it is recommended for the intermittent fever, blisters, pain, diuresis, various gastro-intestinal disorder, boils, malaria, vaginal discharge and in case of psychoneurosis. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity as well as to describe the presence of phytoconstituents through phytochemical screening of the hydro-alcoholic extract of the whole parts of the plant. We carried out the phytochemical screening of the Vernonia cinerea which shows the presence of carbohydrate, reducing and nonreducing sugar, glycoside, phytosterol & terpenoids, phenolic compound & tannin, flavonoids. Antimicrobial activity of the Vernonia cinerea against most dominating microbes like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Candida Spp. (albicans) through well diffusion method. The hydroalcoholic extract at various concentrations produces significant antimicrobial and antifungal activity against the selected microorganism when compared with standard drug Norfloxacin for antibacterial and antifungal activity.

Keywords : Vernonia cinerea, Hydro-alcoholic extract, Phytochemical screening, Anti-microbial activity.