Activity of Some Iranian Plant Extracts against Multi-Drug Resistant Human Pathogens Isolated from Urinary Tract Infections

Background: Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances which can be used to treat various infectious diseases. Hence, antibacterial activities of ethanol extracts of 6 plant species were studied against multi-drug resistant clinical isolates.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. Plant extract from leaf of Marribum vulgari, Saturja montana, Myrtus comminus L., Amaranthus retraflexus, seed of Cumminum cyminum L. and Peganum harmal specie was performed using rotary. Sampling was carry out from urine culture of hospitalized patients (Boo-Ali hospital, Zahedan, south-eastern of Iran) suffered from urinary tract infections during the years 2010 and 2011. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) of plant extracts of plants on bacteria was determined using micro dilution broth method at 6 different concentrations.

Results: The results show P. harmal and M. comminus L. were a potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae) bacteria respectively. Moreover, all 6 plants extracts showed relatively same antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus saprophyticus and S. aureus) and S. Montana extracts showed relatively same antibacterial activity against all Gram-negative bacteria and Morganella morgani was the more resistant bacteria for all plants extracts.

Conclusion: This investigation showed that the mixes of P. harmal and M. comminus L. extracts have a potent antimicrobial activity against some Gram-positive pathogenic and Gram-negative bacteria. The present studies confirm the use of this extracts as antibacterial agent. Further research is required to evaluate the practical values of therapeutic applications.