Antimicrobial activity of Cinnamomum zeylanicum aqueous extract against bacteria and fungi responsible for urinary tract infection

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In this modern age of multidrug-resistant pathogens, Cinnamomum zeylanicum has a promising antimicrobial activity against urinary pathogens. The study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity of cinnamon against the bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae strains and Fungi strains and compare it with standard antibiotics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standard agar well technique was executed to obtain the zone of inhibition (ZOI). Mueller–Hinton agar was prepared and left to cool at 45°C. The agar medium was poured into the Petri plates, and the medium was preseeded with cultures using a sterile cotton swab dipped in the inoculum. Wells of 6 mm were dug and the dug wells were then filled with 50, 100, and 150 μl of aqueous extract of Cinnamon zeylanicum and incubated at 37°C for 24 h. ZOI was determined and compared with standard antibiotics. RESULTS: Urinary pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus (ZOI-24 mm), was extremely sensitive to C. zeylanicum aqueous extract at 150 μl concentration, followed by Salmonella typhi (ZOI-22 mm) and Escherichia coli (ZOI-20 mm). Enterobacter spp. was also sensitive and demonstrated ZOI of 14 mm at 150 μl concentration. CONCLUSION: The ZOI for pathogens with various concentrations of C. zeylanicum was comparatively significant and demonstrated its potential use as an antimicrobial agent with an efficacy that can be compared to that of the already recognized and widely used antibiotics, namely, cephalexin and amikacin.