Antimicrobial activity from leaf, flower, stem, and root of Clitoria ternatea – A review

Many pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi contribute to the major human illness in which it can consequently lead to mortality. Normally, the infectious diseases such as chicken pox, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB) are the most common diseases occurring in today’s world. Due to that, authorities and scientists have been trying to develop effective drugs to cure these infectious diseases. Many countries have been thrived to look for alternatives to plant sources as natural remedies. Moreover, the possibility of using natural plant extracts in the development of drugs has greater potential as it is considered safe for human after prolonged treatments. Malaysia possesses rich biodiversity in flora and fauna due to its tropical climate throughout the year and houses many medicinal plants. Clitoria ternatea is also known as butterfly pea flower in which is native to tropical Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. C. ternatea possesses vibrant blue flowers and has antimicrobial properties that are beneficial to human health. All parts of C. ternatea have a potential of antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus agalactiae and Aeromonas hydrophila. Therefore, this paper will review C. ternatea as an antimicrobial agent against selected microorganisms using its leaf, flower, stem, and root.