Antimicrobial Activity of Three Baccharis Species Used in the Traditional Medicine of Northern Chile

Abstract

The antimicrobial activities of aqueous ethanol and chloroform extracts of threeBaccharis species currently used in Northern Chile folk medicine for the treatment ofseveral infectious and inflammatory disorders were tested against Gram-positive andnegative bacteria and fungal spp. using the agar-disc diffusion assay. The results indicatedthat the activity was more pronounced against Gram-positive than against Gram-negativebacteria and yeast. No significant differences on the antibacterial activity were observed inthe aqueous ethanol versus chloroform extracts. None of the plant extracts evaluatedexhibited any activity against ten fungi tested.

Keywords

• Antimicrobial activity
• Baccharis microphylla
• Baccharis petiolata
• Baccharis santelicis