In vitro Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Umbilicus intermedius Boiss, Cuminum cyminum and Zingiber officinale Ethanolic Extracts
Author(s): Takesh Ameneh, Fatahinia Mahnaz*, Seyed-Mohammadi Sakineh, Saki Morteza
Abstract
Introduction: The use of medicinal plants for treatment of fungal and bacterial diseases has a long history. Today, because of the high resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics and chemical drugs side effects the use of herbal medicines has increased. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the crude ethanolic extract of Umbilicus intermedius Boiss, Cuminum cyminum and Zingiber officinale against some drug resistant bacteria.
Material and Methods: In this study the antimicrobial activity of Umbilicus intermedius Boiss, Cuminum cyminum (Cumin) and Zingiber officinale (ginger) has been evaluated against five multidrug resistant clinical bacterial isolates. The different concentrations ranged from 50 to 200 μg/ml of ethanolic extract of the three plants had been assayed separately against multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus agalactiae, and two isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activity was determined by the disc diffusion method.
Results: Among the three evaluated herbs, only the cumin and ginger showed anti-bacterial activity. Among the extracts tested, ginger extract was the most effective. However, the ethanolic extract of Umbilicus intermedius Boiss showed no inhibitory effects on bacterial isolates at all concentration.
Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicate that ginger extract has good antibacterial effects. Conceivably, the use of herbal extracts such as ginger represents a new era for antimicrobial therapy.
<