Tropentag 2010, September 14 - 16, Zurich, Germany "World Food System - A Contribution from Europe"

Study of Antibacterial Activity of Plant Species in Golestan Provience

Islamic Azad University, Gorgan branch, Microbiology Department, Iran

Abstract

Ability of medical plants to inhibit growth of pathogen is an untapped resource for bacterial control in humans that could revolutionize medical crop production. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a serious global problem and includes strains of beta-lactam-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Novel antimicrobials and/or new approaches to combat the problem are urgently needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of alcoholics and aqueous extract of 23 medical plants species of Golestan province on clinical and standard stains of MRSA and MSSA. 23 medicinal plants were collected from their natural habitat in Golestan province in north of Iran. Their ethanolic and aqueous extract obtained by percolation methods. The study was conducted at medical science of Gorgan University during the years of 2007 and 2008. Antibacterial effects were assessed by disc diffusion method against 14 clinical and standard starins of methicillin resiostant and sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The result of antibacterial activity of these plants revealed that, ethanolic and aqueous extraet of eight, three plants showed best effect. The ethanolic extract of Artemisia herbaalba, Nigella sativa, Punica granatum, possed the most outstanding in vitro antibacterial activity which the maximum inhibition zone was 22.4 -18 mm respectively. The results showed that ethanolic extract had better antibacterial effect than eqouas extract and antistaphylococcal activity of ethanolic extract of plants against MRSA was better than MSSA strains. Ethanolic and aqueous extract of P.granatum had the best antibacterial activity against microorganism. The results obtained from these plants might be considered sufficient for further studies.

Keywords: Antibacterial effect, ethanol and aqueous extract, medicinal plants, Staphylococcus aureus

Contact Address: Teena Dadgar, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan branch, Microbiology Department, Valiasr, 4917898618 Gorgan, Iran, e-mail: dadgar_teenayahoo.com