title: Antibacterial activity in spices and local medicinal plants against clinical isolates of Karachi, Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Development of resistance in human pathogens against conventional antibiotic necessitates searching indigenous medicinal plants having antibacterial property. Twenty-seven medicinal plants used actively in folklore, ayurvedic and traditional system of medicine were selected for the evaluation of their antimicrobial activity for this study. Eleven plants chosen from these 27 are used as spices in local cuisine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of the effectiveness of some medicinal plant extracts against clinical isolates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonedible plant parts were extracted with methanol and evaporated in vacuo to obtain residue. Powdered edible parts were boiled three times and cooled in sterile distilled water for 2 min each and filtrate collected. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of plant extracts and filtrates/antibiotics was evaluated against clinical isolates by microbroth dilution method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Water extract of Syzygium aromaticum L. (Myrtaceae) buds, methanol extracts of Ficus carica L. (Moraceae) and Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) leaves and Peganum harmala L. (Nitrariaceae) seeds had MIC ranges of 31.25-250 µg/ml. S. aromaticum inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. F. carica and O. europaea inhibited growth of S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and S. pyogenes whereas P. harmala was effective against S. aureus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Candida albicans. Ampicillin, velosef, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefepime, which are used as control, had MIC ≥ 50 and 1.5 µg/ml, respectively, for organisms sensitive to extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mono/multiextract from identified plants will provide an array of safe antimicrobial agents to control infections by drug-resistant bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan. nafisahassanali@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nafisa Hassan
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Shaheen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faizi
authors.forename: Shahana Urooj
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Kazmi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010154:Pakistan; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D017365:Spices / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts