title: Extraction methods and bioautography for evaluation of medicinal plant antimicrobial activity.
abstract: A comparative study on the antimicrobial properties of extracts from medicinal plants obtained by two different methods was carried out. The screening of the antimicrobial activity of extracts from six plants was conducted by a disc diffusion test against Gram-positive, -negative and fungal organisms. The most active extracts (inhibition diameter >/=12 mm) were assayed for the minimum inhibitory concentration and submitted to phytochemical screening by thin-layer chromatography and bioautography. The results obtained indicate that the diethyl ether extracts were the most efficient antimicrobial compounds. The activity was more pronounced against Gram-positive and fungal organisms than against Gram-negative bacteria. Bioautography showed that the antimicrobial activity was probably due to flavonoids and terpenes.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaco-Biological Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Italy. atnostro@pharma.unime.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nostro
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Germanò
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'angelo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cannatelli
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D004986:Ether; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004986:Ether