title: Introducing Urtica dioica, A Native Plant of Khuzestan, As an Antibacterial Medicinal Plant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urtica dioica is a flowering plant with long history of use in folk medicine and as a food source.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined in vitro antibacterial potential of alcoholic extracts of U. dioica.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hydroalcoholic extracts from aerial parts were prepared using aqueous solution of ethanol and methanol and their inhibitory effects against clinical isolates was examined by disc diffusion method at different doses. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) indexes were also investigated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was also performed to find structural changes of affected bacteria consequent to exposing with extracts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both extracts were active against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli with respectively 16, 10, 18, and 14 mm (methanolic) and 11, 9, 17, and 16 mm (ethanolic) inhibition zone. The MIC of ethanolic extract against S. epidermidis and E. coli was respectively 10 and 40 mg/mL. The MIC of methanolic extract against S. aureus and S. epidermidis was 40 and 10 mg/mL, respectively. The MBC was found only for S. epidermidis (20 mg/mL). In SEM analysis the round shape of S. epidermidis was changed and irregular shapes were appeared, which suggest that the main target of these extracts was cell wall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extracts of U. dioica showed significant antibacterial effect against some clinically important pathogenic bacteria. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that U. dioica is useful as antibacterial and bactericidal agent in treating infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Motamedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Mansour
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Seyyednejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ameneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakhtiari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mozhan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vafaei
keywords: Antibacterial Agent; Medicinal Plant; Natural Product; Phytotherapy; Urtica dioica