title: Antimicrobial activities of four Tunisian Chrysanthemum species.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tunisian Chrysanthemum species are known to have medicinal activity and some of the species are used in traditional medicine. We have earlier shown the use of C. trifurcatum flowerheads in Tunisian traditional medicine to treat constipation. In the present study we investigated the anti microbiol activity of four Tunision Chrysanthemum species.
  
  
  METHODS
  Different parts (flowers, leaves, stems, roots, leaves and flowers and leaves and stems) of four Tunisian Chrysanthemum species, were extracted with solvents of increasing polarity to obtain aqueous and organic extracts. These extracts were tested in vitro for their antimicrobial activity against 14 bacteria and four yeasts, using agar diffusion and microdilution methods. Activity was evaluated by measuring the zones of inhibition against the tested organisms and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined from the lowest concentrations of extracts to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Cytotoxity and antiviral activities against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), were evaluated using the neutral red incorporation method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Extracts of the 4 Chrysanthemum species showed some degree of activity against one or more of the microbial strains with MIC ranging from 0.625 to 1.25 mg/ml. Most of the extracts were well tolerated by Vero cells with CC(50) > 500 microg/ml. The petroleum ether extract of C. trifurcatum stems and leaves protected infected cells with EC(50) of 100 microg/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings showed that some Chrysanthemum extracts exhibited antimicrobial and/or anti-HSV-1 activities. Further studies aimed to the isolation and identification of active substances from the extracts which exhibited interest activities, need to be done.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Maladies Transmissibles et Substances Biologiquement Actives, Faculté de Pharmacie, Monastir, France. ahlem_ben_sassi@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Ahlem Ben
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sassi
authors.forename: Fethia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harzallah-Skhiri
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bourgougnon
authors.forename: Mahjoub
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aouni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D031202:Chrysanthemum / Q000378:metabolism*; D035264:Flowers / Q000378:metabolism; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000378:metabolism; D014416:Tunisia; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts