Dereje Nigussie1,2, Gail Davey3,4, Belete Adefris Legesse5, Abebaw Fekadu5,3, Eyasu Makonnen5,6. 1. Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. D.Woldemichael@bsms.ac.uk. 2. Centre for Global Health Research, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9PX, UK. D.Woldemichael@bsms.ac.uk. 3. Centre for Global Health Research, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9PX, UK. 4. School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 5. Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 6. Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patients with lymphoedema are at high risk of getting bacterial and fungal wound infections leading to acute inflammatory episodes associated with cellulitis and erysipelas. In Ethiopia, wound infections are traditionally treated with medicinal plants. METHODS: Agar well diffusion and colorimetric microdilution methods were used to determine the antibacterial activity of methanol extracts of the three medicinal plants against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shewanella alage, methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC®43300TM, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC700603, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC37853. RESULTS: The methanol extract of L. inermis leaves showed high activity against all tested bacterial species, which was comparable to the standard drugs. Similarly, the extracts of A. indica showed activity against all tested species though at higher concentrations, and higher activity was recorded against Streptococcus pyogenes isolates at all concentrations. However, the extract of A. aspera showed the lowest activity against all tested species except Streptococcus pyogenes isolates. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was recorded with the extract of L. inermis against E. coli isolate and S. aureus ATCC 25923. CONCLUSION: Methanol extracts of L. inermis, A. indica, and A. aspera leaves exhibited antimicrobial activity against selected bacterial isolates involved in wound infections, of which the methanol extracts of L. inermis exhibited the highest activity. The results of the present study support the traditional use of plants against microbial infections, which could potentially be exploited for the treatment of wound infections associated with lymphoedema.
BACKGROUND: Patients with lymphoedema are at high risk of getting bacterial and fungal wound infections leading to acute inflammatory episodes associated with cellulitis and erysipelas. In Ethiopia, wound infections are traditionally treated with medicinal plants. METHODS: Agar well diffusion and colorimetric microdilution methods were used to determine the antibacterial activity of methanol extracts of the three medicinal plants against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shewanella alage, methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC®43300TM, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC700603, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC37853. RESULTS: The methanol extract of L. inermis leaves showed high activity against all tested bacterial species, which was comparable to the standard drugs. Similarly, the extracts of A. indica showed activity against all tested species though at higher concentrations, and higher activity was recorded against Streptococcus pyogenes isolates at all concentrations. However, the extract of A. aspera showed the lowest activity against all tested species except Streptococcus pyogenes isolates. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was recorded with the extract of L. inermis against E. coli isolate and S. aureus ATCC 25923. CONCLUSION: Methanol extracts of L. inermis, A. indica, and A. aspera leaves exhibited antimicrobial activity against selected bacterial isolates involved in wound infections, of which the methanol extracts of L. inermis exhibited the highest activity. The results of the present study support the traditional use of plants against microbial infections, which could potentially be exploited for the treatment of wound infections associated with lymphoedema.
Authors: Caroline E Fife; Wade Farrow; Adelaide A Hebert; Nathan C Armer; Bob R Stewart; Janice N Cormier; Jane M Armer Journal: Adv Skin Wound Care Date: 2017-07 Impact factor: 2.347