title: Antibacterial and antibiotic-modulation activity of six Cameroonian medicinal plants against Gram-negative multi-drug resistant phenotypes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bacterial Infections involving multi-drug resistant (MDR) phenotypes constitute a worldwide health concern. The present work was designed to assess the antibacterial properties of the methanol extracts of six medicinal plants (Anthocleista schweinfurthii, Nauclea latifolia, Boehmeria platyphylla, Caucalis melanantha, Erigeron floribundus and Zehneria scobra) and the effects of their associations with antibiotics on MDR Gram-negative bacteria over-expressing active efflux pumps.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antibacterial activities and the ability to potentiate antibiotic effects of the methanol extracts the tested plants were evaluated in vitro against twenty eight Gram-negative bacteria expressing MDR phenotypes, using broth microdilution method. The phytochemical screening of these extracts was also performed using standard methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All tested extracts displayed moderate to low antibacterial activity on at least 14.3 % of the 28 tested bacteria, with MIC values ranged from 128 to 1024 μg/mL. The best antibacterial spectrum was observed with Naulcea latifolia bark extract. Extracts from A. schweinfurthii fruits, N. latifolia stem bark, Z. scobra and N. latifolia leaves showed synergistic effects with many antibiotics against MDR bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall results of the present study provide information for the possible use of the studied plants, especially Nauclea latifolia in the control of Gram-negative bacterial infections including MDR species as antibacterials as well as resistance modulators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Doriane E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Djeussi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jaurès A K
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Noumedem
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Bonaventure T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Ngadjui
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. kuetevictor@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kuete
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002163:Cameroon; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antibacterial; Antibiotics; Cameroon; Gram-negative bacteria; Multi-drug resistance; Synergy