title: In vitro antimicrobial activity of plants used in Cambodian traditional medicine.
abstract: 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 microg/ml. Azadirachta indica (bark), Harrisonia perforata (roots and stem) and Shorea obtusa (roots) exhibited a bactericidal effect against M. smegmatis at 250 microg/ml.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, EA864, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Aun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chea
authors.forename: Marie-Caroline
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jonville
authors.forename: Sok-Siya
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bun
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laget
authors.forename: Riad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duménil
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balansard
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002160:Cambodia; D003470:Culture Media; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003470:Culture Media