In vitro antimicrobial activity of plants used in Cambodian traditional medicine

in American Journal of Chinese Medicine (The) (2007), 35(5), 867-873

The purpose of the present study was to screen 27 plant species used in the traditional medicine of Cambodia for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. Thirty-three methanolic extracts were ... [more ▼]

The purpose of the present study was to screen 27 plant species used in the traditional medicine of Cambodia for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. Thirty-three methanolic extracts were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Candida albicans. Screened by disk diffusion assay, the extracts showed antimicrobial activity especially on Gram-positive bacteria. None of the crude methanolic extracts showed activity against P. aeruginosa. Twenty-five selected extracts were evaluated using a micro-dilution test. Harrisonia perforata (roots) and Hymenodictyon excelsum (bark) exhibited a bactericidal effect against S. aureus at a concentration of 500 μg/ml. Azadirachta indica (bark), Harrisonia perforata (roots and stem) and Shorea obtusa (roots) exhibited a bactericidal effect against M. smegmatis at 250 μg/ml. [less ▲]