In vitro antimicrobial activity of plants in Acute Otitis Externa.
Acute Otitis Externa is an inflammation of the outer auditory meatus, and according to popular saying, medicinal plant extracts can be used in its treatment.


OBJECTIVE
to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the following plants: Aleolanthus suaveolens; Caryophyllus aromaticus; Cymbopogon citratus; Matricaria chamomila; Pithecellobium avaremotemo; Plectranthus amboinicus and Ruta graveolens on the germs that cause otitis externa.


METHODS
the minimum inhibitory concentration of extracts and oils from these plants was obtained from otitis externa samples.


RESULTS
Staphylococcus aureus in 10 cultures, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 8, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus together in 5 cultures and Candida albicans and Candida krusei in 4 cultures. P. aeruginosa was resistant to all oils and extracts tested; extracts from A. suaveolens, P. avaremotemo and R. graveolens were inactive; the essential oil from C. aromaticus and M. chamomila were active against 3 strains of S. aureus and the Candida strains; seven of the S. aureus strains were sensitive to the P. amboinicus extract; however, the oil was inactive against 4 S. aureus strains and the Candida strains were sensitive to the R. graveolens essential oil.


CONCLUSIONS
depending on the etiological agent, some plants presented satisfactory results, however we still need more detailed studies in order to better use these plants.
Nogueira
Janaina Cândida Rodrigues
JC
Centro de ciências de saúde, UFPB, PB, Brazil.
Diniz
Margareth de Fátima Melo
Mde F
Lima
Edeltrudes O
EO
D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils