In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities of seeds of Caesalpinia bonduc (Lin.) Roxb.
OBJECTIVE
Caesalpinia bonduc (Lin.) Roxb. is a known drug in Ayurveda to treat various diseases specifically tumors, cysts and cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to assess in vitro as well as in vivo antimicrobial activity of Caesalpinia bonduc seeds.


METHODS
The in vitro antimicrobial activities of seed coat and seed kernel extracts were investigated by microbroth dilution assay. In vivo activities of hydro-alcoholic extracts were investigated in rat models of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia mimicking that in patients with cystic fibrosis.


RESULTS
Various extracts of plant seeds exhibited in vitro antimicrobial activities in a range of 22-350 microg/ml. The extracts also showed activity against methicillin resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus and ampicillin resistant (AR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa as in the sensitive strains. In rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia, hydro-alcoholic extracts of Caesalpinia bonduc seed kernel (CBSK) and Caesalpinia bonduc seed coat (CBSC) were injected subcutaneously in the test groups of animals. The control groups were treated with cortisone and saline. Two weeks after challenge with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the CBSK treated animals showed a significant bacterial clearance from the lungs (P<0.04) and less severe incidence of lung abscess (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Results showed that Caesalpinia bonduc may have the potential to be promising natural medicine, with other forms of treatments, for CF patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections.
Regional Research Institute (Ay), (CCRAS), Nehru Garden, Kothrud, Pune, MS 411038, India.
Tasleem
T
Arif
T K
TK
Mandal
Naresh
N
Kumar
J D
JD
Bhosale
Archana
A
Hole
G L
GL
Sharma
M M
MM
Padhi
G S
GS
Lavekar
Rajesh
R
Dabur
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029911:Caesalpinia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts