Antibacterial Screening of Medicinal Plant Extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Abstract

Herbal remedies are crucial for treating bacterial infections due to antibiotic resistance, with numerous studies demonstrating their antibacterial properties against various harmful species. This study investigates the antibacterial properties of an aqueous extract from 40 medicinal plants in vitro, assessing their effectiveness against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. The well diffusion method was employed to assess the antibacterial activity. Six plants exhibit antibacterial properties against the two bacterial strains among these extracts. Guava (Psidium guajava) and Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)cold water extracts were the most effective plant extracts against Escherichia coli, with inhibition zones of 6.2 mm and 5.2 mm, respectively. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) leaves and Sana makki (Cassia angustifolia) leaves cold water extracts were the most effective plant extracts against Staphylococcus aureus with an inhibitory effect with inhibition zones of 6.9 mm and 5.9 mm respectively. The plant extracts differ in antibacterial activities against S. aureus and E. coli. However, Extracts of Senna alata, Tamarindus indica, Psidium guajava, Syzygium aromaticum, and Cassia angustifolia showed inhibitory activity against both of the microorganisms tested. These potentially useful plant extracts can be utilized as natural alternatives to preventive measures for food poisoning and preservation, thereby avoiding the health risks associated with chemically antibacterial agents. These antibacterial properties encourage future research into new chemical compositions that can help treat or cure some diseases.