title: Antimicrobial evaluation of certain plants used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of respiratory diseases.
abstract: Eighteen crude extracts, including six hexanic, six chloroformic and six methanolic from six different plant species used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of respiratory infections, were evaluated for potential antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined for each extract using a two-fold dilution assay. The results showed that 16 crude extracts (89%) exhibited antimicrobial activity against at least one of the microorganisms tested at concentrations of 5 mg/ml or below. The extracts from Gnaphalium oxyphyllum, Gnaphalium americanum, and Crescentia alata possessed strong antimicrobial activity against the pathogens tested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Sur, Instituto Mexiano del Serguro Scoial, Argentina No. 1, 62790 Xochitepec, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lévaro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tortoriello
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008800:Mexico; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts