title: The Antimicrobial efficacy of Elaeis guineensis: characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies.
abstract: The urgent need to treat multi-drug resistant pathogenic microorganisms in chronically infected patients has given rise to the development of new antimicrobials from natural resources. We have tested Elaeis guineensis Jacq (Arecaceae) methanol extract against a variety of bacterial, fungal and yeast strains associated with infections. Our studies have demonstrated that E. guineensis exhibits excellent antimicrobial activity in vitro and in vivo against the bacterial and fungal strains tested. A marked inhibitory effect of the E. guineensis extracts was observed against C. albicans whereby E. guineensis extract at ½, 1, or 2 times the MIC significantly inhibited C. albicans growth with a noticeable drop in optical density (OD) of the bacterial culture. This finding confirmed the anticandidal activity of the extract on C. albicans. Imaging using scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy was done to determine the major alterations in the microstructure of the extract-treated C. albicans. The main abnormalities noted via SEM and TEM studies were the alteration in morphology of the yeast cells. In vivo antimicrobial activity was studies in mice that had been inoculated with C. albicans and exhibited good anticandidal activity. The authors conclude that the extract may be used as a candidate for the development of anticandidal agent.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang 11800, Malaysia. vijaya_r_1984@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Soundararajan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijayarathna
authors.forename: Zuraini
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Yeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lachimanan Yoga
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Latha
authors.forename: Jagat R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kanwar
authors.forename: Sreenivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028023:Arecaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000432:Methanol