Medicinal Plants as Antimicrobial Agents Against Pathogenic Bacteria

Abstract

This study was focused on monitoring of antimicrobial activity of selected medicinal plants: Artemisia vulgaris, Geum urbanum, Euphorbia peplus, Rumex hydrolapathum, Portulaca oleracea, Geranium pratense, Polygonum aviculare. The selected medicinal plants were evaluated for antimicrobial activity with disc diffusion method. Ethanolic extracts against 3 Gram-positive (G+) bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis), 3 Gram-negative (G-) bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Yersinia enterocolitica) and 3 yeasts (Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida glabrata, Candida albicans) were used as model microorganisms to determine antimicrobial activity. The Portulaca oleracea extract showed the largest zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Yersinia enterocolitica. Artemisia vulgaris extract formed the largest zone of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis and one yeast Candida krusei. The extract from Geum urbanum and Euphorbia peplus did not create the maximum inhibition zone against any of the microorganisms that were tested.

Keywords

• antimicrobial activity
• plant extract
• gram+
• gram-
• yeasts