Determination of Antimicrobial Properties of Crude Aqueous Leaves Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants Using Resazurin-Based Microtiter Broth Dilution Method

Abstract

The Philippines has a wide range of medicinal plants species that need to be tested for safety and efficacy for the possibility of serving as basis in drug development in the future. Five medicinal plants commonly used in the province of Cavite, Philippines were selected for crude aqueous leaf extraction. These were Annona muricata L., Cymbopogon citratus DC., Graptophyllum pictum (L.) Griff, Jatropha curcas L. and Piper betle L. Extracts were tested for antimicrobial activities using resazurin-based microtiter broth dilution method. P. betle showed the maximum antimicrobial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 4.69 mg/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and 37.50 mg/ml against Candida albicans. This then validated the efficiency of P. betle in treating skin diseases and other infections as reported in the locality.

Keywords

• antimicrobial, microtiter broth dilution, minimum inhibitory concentration, resazurin