Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF SOME TRADITIONALLY USED MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST HUMAN PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

Methaq Algabr*, Nabil Al-Hajj and Faiza Almammari

Abstract

The worldwide increase of multidrug resistance in both communityand health-care associated bacterial infections has impaired the current antimicrobial therapy, warranting the search for other alternatives. We aimed to find the in vitro antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of 5 different traditionally used medicinal plants are Punica granatum L, Acalypha ianceolata L, Thymus vulgaris L, Curcuma. Longa L and Lantana camara L against Salmonella typhimurium activity. The results showed that the bacteria used in this study were more sensitive to the alcoholic extracts of Punica granatum L peel with a concentration of 100 mg and an area of 16-18 mm, followed by Acalypha ianceolata L. With the exception of alcoholic extracts of Thymus vulgaris L, Curcuma. Longa L and Lantana camara L, it had no inhibitory effect on salmonella bacteria. The control sample of ethyl alcohol had no inhibition effect. We believe that the sensitivity of bacteria to some plant alcoholic extracts, which did not receive any response or inhibition, does not mean that the chemical properties and composition of plants are devoid of antioxidants, especially Curcuma. Longa L and Thymus vulgaris L,. Therefore, we believe that there are logical reasons that caused the lack of positive results, the most important:-1. The exposure of the extracts to damage as a result of the lack of a refrigerator to preserve them. 2. The poor storage of nutritional medicinal herbs such as Curcuma. Longa L because it is commercial and exposed to high temperatures. 3. The presence of inactive substances in the inhibition of bacteria in the plant extract reduces the concentrations of the active substances.

Keywords: nutritional medicinal herbs; pathogenic bacteria, alcoholic extracts.