title: In vitro antibacterial and antitumor activities of some medicinal plant extracts, growing in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate antibacterial and antitumor activities of 51 different extracts prepared with 3 types of solvents (water, ethanol and methanol) of 16 different plant species (Ajuga reptans (A. reptans) L., Phlomis pungens (P. pungens) Willd., Marrubium astracanicum (M. astracanicum) Jacq., Nepeta nuda (N. nuda) L., Stachys annua (S. annua) L., Genista lydia (G. lydia) Boiss., Nuphar lutea (N. lutea) L., Nymphaea alba (N. alba) L., Vinca minor (V. minor) L., Stellaria media (S. media) L., Capsella bursa-pastoris (C. bursa-pastoris) L., Galium spurium (G. spurium) L., Onosma heterophyllum (O. heterophyllum) Griseb., Reseda luteola (R. luteola) L., Viburnum lantana (V. lantana) L. and Mercurialis annua (M. annua) L.) grown in Turkey was conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antibacterial activity was evaluated with 10 bacteria including Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), Escheria coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium), Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens), Proteus vulgaris (P. vulgaris), Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacea), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) by using disc diffusion method. Antitumor activity was evaluated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens (A. tumefaciens)-induced potato disc tumor assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Best antibacterial activity was obtained with ethanolic extract of P. pungens against S. pyogenes. Ethanolic and methanolic extract of N. alba and ethanolic extract of G. lydia also showed strong antibacterial activities. Results indicated that alcoholic extracts especially ethanolic extracts exhibited strong antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Best antitumor activity was obtained with methanolic extracts of N. alba and V. lantana (100% tumor inhibition). Ethanolic extract of N. alba, alcoholic extracts of N. lutea, A. reptans and V. minor flowers, methanolic extracts of G. lydia and O. heterophyllum and ethanolic extract of V. lantana and aqueous extract of V. minor leaves exhibited strong tumor inhibitions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In near future works, identification of active components can be studied for plant extracts having strong bioactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey. arzubirinciyildirim@gmail.com
authors.forename: Arzu Birinci
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Fatma Pehlivan
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Karakas
authors.forename: Arzu Ucar
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Turker
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010941:Plant Tumors; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts