EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACTS OF THREE MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL SPECIES

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Conium maculatum L., Pistaciaatlantica Desf. and Calendula suffruticosa Vahl. Dried leaf powder of these plants was successively extracted with ethanol using Soxhlet apparatus. All extracts were screened for its antibacterial activity using an agar well diffusion method. The bacteria species used for antibacterial were Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Acinetobacter boumannii, Serratiamarcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Gentamicin, Imipenem and Colistin were used as standards. The obtained results revealed that all plant extracts were potentially effective in inhibiting bacterial growth of all tested species at concentrations (100 and 200 mg/ml). These extracts were most effective against the highly susceptible species S. aureus, E. faecalis, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. Results of the MIC and MBC against these highly susceptible bacterial species were as follows: the MIC of C. maculatum and P. atlantica extracts started at 12.5 mg/ml and the MBC of 25mg/ml against S. aureus, E. faecalis, K. pneumonia. P. aeruginosa was less sensitive and its MIC and MBC reached to 25 and 50 mg/ml, respectively, while MIC of C. suffruticosa extract reached to 25 mg/ml and MBC of 50mg/ml against S. aureus, E. faecalis, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. These plant extracts can be supplemented in the treatment of infectious diseases, and leaf extracts of the plants may be potential antibacterial agents.