antibacterial

Phytoterapy: a glimmer of hope in the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections in children.: Minerva Pediatr. 2007 Aug;59(4):389-395 Authors: Miniello VL, Brunetti L, Cafagna R, Lieggi MS, Lippolis P, Natile M, Francavilla R, Armenio L

Evidence on the efficacy of standardised phytoterapic extracts for the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in children is reviewed. Echinacea extracts are widely used in European countries and in the United States as immune-stimulating agents. However, further prospective, appropriately powered clinical studies are required to confirm their benefits in reducing duration and severity of RRTIs.

PMID: 17947844 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Anti-TB activity of Evodia elleryana bark extract.: Fitoterapia. 2007 Apr;78(3):250-2 Authors: Barrows LR, Powan E, Pond CD, Matainaho T

An ethyl acetate extract of bark from Evodia elleryana produced significant growth inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at concentrations only minimally inhibitory to human T cells. The crude extract yielded 95% inhibition of TB at 50 microg/ml. The crude extract yielded 29% growth inhibition of human T-cells in culture at that concentration.

PMID: 17350179 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Tea catechins as a potential alternative anti-infectious agent.: Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2007 Jun;5(3):497-506 Authors: Song JM, Seong BL

Besides well-known health benefits, green tea catechins exert antimicrobial and antiviral activities against a variety of infectious agents. Although the detailed mechanism of the antimicrobial activity of tea catechins remains to be explored, the broad-spectrum activity of catechins may involve common target(s), such as the cell membrane, in addition to specific targets for each pathogen. This extends to antiviral activities, where many pronounced activities were reported for enveloped viruses. Yet, the effectiveness of tea catechins as antimicrobials is compromised by relative chemical instability and poor bioavailability. Whether tea catechins will emerge as a viable option as alternative medicine or as a synergistic combination therapy with pre-existing antivirals or antibiotics must therefore depend on a method of delivery that ensures its stability and bioavailability. However, green tea may provide an option for mitigating the health and economic burdens associated with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially considering the paucity of effective control measures. Considering the zoonotic nature of newly arising infectious diseases, the dual use of green tea components in both humans and livestock may reduce animal-human transmission, which would complement the current management of infectious diseases.

PMID: 17547513 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Antibacterial activity of Venda medicinal plants.:

Antibacterial activity of Venda medicinal plants.

Fitoterapia. 2007 May 24;

Authors: Steenkamp V, Fernandes AC, van Rensburg CE

Crude methanol and water extracts of 36 plants, employed in the treatment of diseases of probable bacterial etiology by the Venda people, were screened for antibacterial activity. Combretum molle, Peltophorum africanum, Piper capense, Terminalia sericea and Zanthoxylum davyi were the most active and presented MIC values </=1.00 mg/ml.

PMID: 17582701 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Antibacterial potency of methanol extracts of lower plants.: J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2007 Mar;8(3):189-91 Authors: Ojo OO, Ajayi AO, Anibijuwon II

Antibacterial potency of methanol extracts of three green lower plants, Pneumatopteris afra, Platycerium bifurcatum and Nephrolepsis bisserata was determined using agar dilution method on clinical strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp. and Salmomelia typhi. Antibacterial activities were observed at concentrations of 12.5, 25.0, 50.0 and 100.0 microg/ml. Their minimum inhibitory concentrations ranged from 12.5approximately 100 microg/ml. Extracts of P. afra and P. bifurcatum were most active. Antibacterial activities observed with N. bisserata were less pronounced with no detectable activity at extract concentrations of 12.5 and 25.0 microg/ml. E. coli, together with S. aureus appeared to be the most susceptible of the test bacteria while Klebsiella spp. was least sensitive. The significance of our findings is discussed.

In Vitro Activity of Olive Oil Polyphenols against Helicobacter pylori.: J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Feb 7;55(3):680-6 Authors: Romero C, Medina E, Vargas J, Brenes M, Castro AD

Helicobacter pylori is linked to a majority of peptic ulcers and to some types of gastric cancer, and resistance of the microorganism to antibiotic treatment is now found worldwide. Virgin olive oil is an unrefined vegetable oil that contains a significant amount of phenolic compounds. Under simulated conditions, we have demonstrated that these substances can diffuse from the oil into the gastric juice and be stable for hours in this acidic environment. In vitro, they exerted a strong bactericidal activity against eight strains of H. pylori, three of them resistant to some antibiotics. Among the phenolic compounds, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl ligstroside aglycon showed the strongest bactericidal effect at a concentration as low as 1.3 mug/mL. Although the experimental conditions are different from other reported works, this bactericidal concentration is much lower than those found for phenolic compounds from tea, wine, and plant extracts. These results open the possibility of considering virgin olive oil a chemopreventive agent for peptic ulcer or gastric cancer, but this bioactivity should be confirmed in vivo in the future. Keywords: Olive oil; phenolic compounds; simulated digestion, Helicobacter pylori; antimicrobial.

In vitro antibacterial activity of some plant essential oils.:
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006;6:39 Authors: Prabuseenivasan S, Jayakumar M, Ignacimuthu S

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of 21 plant essential oils against six bacterial species. METHODS: The selected essential oils were screened against four gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris) and two gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus at four different concentrations (1:1, 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20) using disc diffusion method. The MIC of the active essential oils were tested using two fold agar dilution method at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 25.6 mg/ml. RESULTS: Out of 21 essential oils tested, 19 oils showed antibacterial activity against one or more strains. Cinnamon, clove, geranium, lemon, lime, orange and rosemary oils exhibited significant inhibitory effect. Cinnamon oil showed promising inhibitory activity even at low concentration, whereas aniseed, eucalyptus and camphor oils were least active against the tested bacteria. In general, B. subtilis was the most susceptible. On the other hand, K. pneumoniae exhibited low degree of sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Majority of the oils showed antibacterial activity against the tested strains. However Cinnamon, clove and lime oils were found to be inhibiting both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Cinnamon oil can be a good source of antibacterial agents.

[Pharmacological effects of flavonoids from Scutellaria baicalensis]: Przegl Lek. 2006;63(2):95-6 Authors: Kowalczyk E, Krzesiński P, Kura M, Niedworok J, Kowalski J, Błaszczyk J

Scutellaria baicalensis is a plant widely used in Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine. Dry roots of Scutellaria baicalensis are used, especially as alcohol extracts. Flavonoids isolated from Radix Scutellariae have beneficial effects in hepatitis. Flavonoids derived from Scutellaria baicalensis produce antioxidative, antineoplastic, cardiomiocyte-protective activity. They inhibit agregation of platelets, permeability of capillary vessels, have antibacterial and anty-angiogenic effects.

Antibacterial activity of crude methanolic extract and its fractions of aerial parts of Anthemis tinctoria.: Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2005 Dec;42(6):395-7 Authors: Akgul C, Saglikoglu G

The antibacterial activity of the methanolic extract and its fractions of aerial parts of Aniheinis tinctoria (Asteraceae) was investigated against representative gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) and gram-negative strains Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). The activity was concentrated mainly in the dichloromethane (DCM) and hexane fractions of crude methanolic extract. The 5 mg of DCM extract per disk produced 15-16 mm of inhibition zone against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, however, no activity was found against E. faecalis and E. coli. The hexane fraction showed activity against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis. As DCM fraction showed the highest antibacterial activity in the disk diffusion assay, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of only this fraction was determined against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. These values were found to be in the range of 1.25 to 10 mg/ml.

Acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis induced by the herbal remedy Ginkgo biloba.: Med J Aust. 2006 Jun 5; 184(11): 583-4 Pennisi RS

Acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a clinical reaction pattern that is induced, in over 90% of cases, by systemic drugs (most frequently antibacterial drugs). This is the first reported case of AGEP caused by the herbal remedy Ginkgo biloba.