Abstract:

The antibacterial potentials of the medicinal plants Francoeuria crispa (Forssk.) Cass., Pulicaria undulata (L.) Kostel, Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. and Cucurbita pepo L. Ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl Acetate, methanol and aqueous extracts, at a concentration of 100 mg/ml, were evaluated against selected bacterial. 

strains: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Bacillus subtilis (NCTC 8236), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Proteus vulgaris (ATCC 6380), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Salmonella para typhi B (0650) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 1312) using the Agar Diffusion Technique in vitro. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values were also determined for the most active plant extracts. Of all extracts the ethanolic extract of Pulicaria undulata was the most active, whereas, the aqueous extract of Ziziphus spina– christi stem bark was the most active of all aqueous extracts tested. The ethyl acetate extract of F. crispa showed activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Most susceptible Gram-negative bacteria were E. coli and P. vulgaris and least susceptible was S. para typhi B. In Gram –positive bacteria, most and least susceptible were S. aureus and B. subtilis respectively. The lowest MIC values were <3.125 and 6.25 μg/ml for the crude extracts of ethyl acetate of Pulicaria undulata and crude methanolic extract of Ziziphus spinachristi, respectively. These results provide promising baseline information for the potential use of these crude extracts in the treatment of bacterial infections.

Abstract:

Plants have long been used as herbal medicines in many countries. However, microbial contamination of these medicines may affect human health. In the present study fifteen medicinal plants namely, Acacia nilotica ssp. nilotica, Trigonella foenum-greacum, Nigella sativa, Hyphaene thebaica, Nauclea latifola, Cyperus rotundus, Cymbopogon schoenanthus spp, proximus, Artemisia herba-alb, Cassia acutifolia, Solenostemma argel, Tamarindus indica, Ziziphus spina-christi, Lepidium sativum, Foeniculum vulgare and Coriandrum sativum were evaluated for their fungal contamination. The pour plate method was used to cultivate serially diluted portions of the medicinal plant material investigated. The colonies of fungi were identified morphologically according to form and pigment. They were observed microscopically through Lactophenol cotton bluestaining. The identified fungal isolates were consist of three fungal species, the most dominant fungi were Aspergillus nigar and Aspergillus flavus. Penicillium ssp is least one. The total fungal counts ranged from 00x101 cfu/g (Cymbopogon schoenanthus spp.proximus, Trigonella foenum-greacum, Artemisia herba alb, Lepidium satinum , Nigella sativa Cassia acutifolia and Naucle latifola) to 11x105cfu/g (Cyperus rotundus).. The highest total fungal load was found in Cyperus rotundus The levels of contamination varied greatly between the commercially available plant samples investigated.

Abstract:

Introduction: Medicinal plants constitute an effective source of both traditional and modern medicines. The emergence of drug resistant bacteria mandates the need for newer antibiotics.

Objective: To evaluate the antibiotic effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa.

Methods: Three medicinal plants have been selected for investigation of their antibacterial activities; Hibiscus sabdariffa. (Dried calyces), cacia seyal var. seyal (fresh stem bark) and Sphaeranthus suaveolens var suaveolens (herbs) The extracts of these plants at concentration of 100mg/ml have been tested against seven strains of bacteria.; qualitative tests using the Agar Well Diffusion Method have been carried out.

Results: E coli showed higher resistance to the plant extracts whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa is more sensitive.

Conclusion: Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts showed extensive inhibition zone and were, therefore, effective as antibacterial ingredient.

A B S T R A C T

To evaluate the interaction between plants extract and antibacterial drugs then to confirm the rationale of the ethno-medicinal use of candidate plants. Methanolic extract of Trachyspermum ammi (Fruit), Senna alexandrina mill (Leaves) and Vachellia nilotica spp. nilotica (Fruit) individually and in combination with commonly used antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamycin and tetracycline) were tested by the Cup Plate method in crude for their antibacterial activity against four standard bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The highest antibacterial activity was recorded in V. nilotica extracts against S. aureus (IZ = 39 mm) and the lowest antibacterial activity was recorded in T. ammi extract against P. aeruginosa (IZ = 0 mm). When the standard antibiotics were tested, the IZ ranged from 0-31 mm. The lowest (MIC) of the three plants extracts against the standard bacteria were determined, the most potent antimicrobial plant was V. nilotica (MIC<1.156-12.5 mg mLG1). In synergistic results the three extracts showed synergistic interaction in combination with the tested antibiotics which differed according to the species of bacteria. The Inhibition Zones (IZ) ranged from 0-40 mm. The highest largest IZ of 40 mm was observed against B. subtilis where a combination of V. nilotica and Tetracycline were used. The least susceptible bacteria to the plant extract and combination was S. aureus organisms and the most susceptible bacteria was B. subtilis. The synergy of T. ammi, S. alexandrina and V. nilotica showed an overall increase in the activity of standard antibiotics against standard bacteria, thus, there is a scope to develop effective combinations of such antibiotics and purified forms of these medicinal plants.

ABSTRACT

Bovine mastitis is the major problem for milk producers throughout the world and responsible for substantial losses of revenue annually. Antibiotic therapy is an important tool in the scheme of mastitis control. A total of 181 milk samples from the farms were collected aseptically from suspected cows for mastitis. Seven bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp.) were isolated and tested for antibacterial activity of the drugs. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were the most predominant in dairy farms. The results declared that Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates were more sensitive to gentamycin (81.2%). Penicillin , erythromycin and neomycin are effective against S. epidermidis, while nitrofuratoin , penicillin , ampicillin and neomycin are effective against S. agalactiae isolates. On the other hand P. aeruginosa isolates were observed sensitive manner to gentamycin, pencillin , ampicillin and streptomycin whereas they showed resistant effects to erythromycin. However Escherichia coli isolates were exhibited inhibitory effects to nitrofuratoin, while they represented a negative response to pencillin and erythromycin. Also Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp. isolates were showed sensitive results to gentamycin whereas resistant effects were occurred to pencillin. Remarkable antibacterial activities against S.aureus , S.epidermidis , S. agalictiae , E. coli, P. aeruginosa and Proteus spp. strains were shown for gentamycin and /or nitrofuratoin. The results indicated that the increasing prevalence of multidrug resistant strains with reduce susceptibility to antibiotics adds urgency to the search for new mastitis fighting strategies. Hence, there is a need to investigate the antibacterial properties of drugs that have not been done.