Evaluation of the flora of Northern Mexico for in vitro antimicrobial and antituberculosis activity

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 109; no. 3; pp. 435 - 441
• Main Authors: Molina-Salinas, G.M., Pérez-López, A., Becerril-Montes, P., Salazar-Aranda, R., Said-Fernández, S., Torres, N. Waksman de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 12.02.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alamar Blue; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; antibacterial properties; Antimicrobial activity; Antitubercular Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; chemical constituents of plants; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; ethnobotany; General pharmacology; geographical distribution; Haemophilus influenzae; Haemophilus influenzae - drug effects; indigenous species; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Medicine, Traditional; Mexican plants; Mexico; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - drug effects; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; pneumonia; respiratory tract diseases; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Streptococcus pneumoniae - drug effects; traditional medicine; tuberculosis; Mexico; Central America; America; Alamar Blue; Antimicrobial activity; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mexican plants; Plant extracts; Evaluation; Pharmacognosy; In vitro; Antimicrobial agent; Medicinal plant; Mycobacteriales; Plant origin; Mycobacteriaceae; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Antituberculous agent
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2006.08.014

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential antimicrobial activity of 14 plants used in northeast México for the treatment of respiratory diseases, against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae type b and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Forty-eight organic and aqueous extracts were tested against these bacterial strains using a broth microdilution test. No aqueous extracts showed antimicrobial activity, whereas most of the organic extracts presented antimicrobial activity against at least one of the drug-resistant microorganisms tested. Methanol-based extracts from the roots and leaves of Leucophyllum frutescens and ethyl ether extract from the roots of Chrysanctinia mexicana showed the greatest antimicrobial activity against the drug-resistant strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were 62.5, 125 and 62.5 μg/mL, respectively; methanol-based extract from the leaves of Cordia boissieri showed the best antimicrobial activity against the drug-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 250 μg/mL); the hexane-based extract from the fruits of Schinus molle showed considerable antimicrobial activity against the drug-resistant strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC 62.5 μg/mL). This study supports that selecting plants by ethnobotanical criteria enhances the possibility of finding species with activity against resistant microorganisms.