Antimicrobial Activity Of Medicinal Plants Research Articles

Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants traditionally used in Vhembe district to treat pain and infection related diseases

Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants traditionally used in Vhembe district to treat pain and infection related diseases

EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SEMI-ARID REGION

Objective: Infections caused by microorganisms that have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics have become a major nuisance globally. The problem of microbial resistance is increasing rapidly, and therefore there is an urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial agents from a natural source. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of different solvent extracts of aerial part of Alysicarpus procumbens, Fimbristylis dichotoma, Saccharum spontaneum, Suaeda nigra, and Typha angustifolia against pathogenic microorganisms.Methods: The extraction was done by individual cold percolation method using five solvents of different polarity, viz., petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and water (aqueous). The antimicrobial activity was done by agar well diffusion method against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi.Results: All the plant solvent extracts showed varied level of antimicrobial activity against different microorganisms. All extracts of five plants showed better antibacterial activity than antifungal activity; Gram-positive bacteria were more susceptible than Gram-negative bacteria.Conclusion: The polarity of solvent greatly influences extractive yield and antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants. The best activity was shown by solvent extracts of S. nigra. Hence, it can be considered as good source of antimicrobial agents.

Antimicrobial Effects of the Stinging Nettle (Urtica Dioica L.).

Nowadays increasing attention is being paid to herbs, one of the reasons is to avoid the undesirable side effects of synthetic drugs. This is the reason why the analysis of the antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants are increasingly in the focus of scientific experiments as well. One of the best-known medicinal plants is nettle. Among the nettle species in Hungary, Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) can be found in the country and is most commonly utilised for medical purposes, with a focus on its leaves and roots. Nettle tea consumption is widespread in folk medicine for treating diabetes, allergies, abdominal pain, benign prostatic hyperplasia, rheumatoid arthritis and treatment of infections.
 This study gives a widespread summary of the reseach results about the antimicrobal impact of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) in the scientific literature. The papers documented a positive effect of nettle for more than 30 Gram positive and Gram negative bacterias, yeasts and fungis.

Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants Correlates with the Proportion of Antagonistic Endophytes.

Medicinal plants are known to harbor potential endophytic microbes, due to their bioactive compounds. In a first study of ongoing research, endophytic bacteria were isolated from two medicinal plants, Hypericum perforatum and Ziziphora capitata with contrasting antimicrobial activities from the Chatkal Biosphere Reserve of Uzbekistan, and their plant-specific traits involved in biocontrol and plant growth promotion were evaluated. Plant extracts of H. perforatum exhibited a remarkable activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens, whereas extracts of Z. capitata did not exhibit any potential antimicrobial activity. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was used to identify plant associated culturable endophytic bacteria. The isolated culturable endophytes associated with H. perforatum belong to eight genera (Arthrobacter, Achromobacter, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas). The endophytic isolates from Z. capitata also contain those genera except Arthrobacter, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas. H. perforatum with antibacterial activity supported more bacteria with antagonistic activity, as compared to Z. capitata. The antagonistic isolates were able to control tomato root rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum and stimulated plant growth under greenhouse conditions and could thus be a cost-effective source for agro-based biological control agents.

Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants and Urinary Tract Infections

Medicinal plants are part and parcel of human society to combat diseases from the dawn of civilization. According to World Health Organization (WHO), about 80% of the world population rely chiefly on plant based traditional medicine specially for their primary health care needs and there has been a worldwide move towards the use of traditional medicines due to concerns over the more invasive, expensive and potentially toxic main stream practices. This review gives a bird’s eye view on the updated information on urinary tract infections (UTIs), different categories of urologic herbs, historical use and modern scientific investigations on some important urologic herbs, clinical studies, some isolated chemical compounds and their possible side effects

Evaluation the Antibacterial Effects of Two Commercial Products of Eucalyptus globulus Against Common Microbial Causes of Respiratory Tract Infections

Background: Recently, antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants have attained once more importance due to drug resistance of microbial isolates to common antibiotics as well as fewer side effects and low cost of herbal products comparing to chemical drugs. Eucalyptus globules (E. globulus) has been widely applied as a natural remedy in respiratory tract infections. The present study focused on the evaluation of antibacterial effect of two commercial products of E. globulus against common microbial causes of respiratory tract infections. To this end, two commercial products of E. globules including inhaler and oral soft capsule with standard expiration date, (in three different batch numbers) were purchased from the pharmacy stores of Tabriz city. Methods: The antibacterial efficiency of these products were investigated using Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and disk diffusion methods against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomona aeruginosa. Results: Based on the obtained results, these commercial products of E. globules showed significant inhibitory effects against Gram-positive bacteria. The findings also indicated that the Eucalyptus inhaler products had more inhibitory effects than Eucalyptus oral soft capsule, however batch to batch variations were of concern. Conclusion: This research presents optimistic result on using the Eucalyptus as an alternative antibacterial agent against respiratory tract pathogenic microorganisms.

Syngonanthus nitens Bong. (Rhul.)-Loaded Nanostructured System for Vulvovaginal Candidiasis Treatment.

Herbal-loaded drug delivery nanotechnological systems have been extensively studied recently. The antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants has shown better pharmacological action when such plants are loaded into a drug delivery system than when they are not loaded. Syngonanthus nitens Bong. (Rhul.) belongs to the Eriocaulaceae family and presents antiulcerogenic, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of Syngonanthus nitens (S. nitens) extract that was not loaded (E) or loaded (SE) into a liquid crystal precursor system (S) for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) with Candida albicans. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the microdilution technique. Additionally, we performed hyphae inhibition and biofilm tests. Finally, experimental candidiasis was evaluated in in vivo models with Wistar female rats. The results showed effective antifungal activity after incorporation into S for all strains tested, with MICs ranging from 31.2 to 62.5 μg/mL. Microscopic observation of SE revealed an absence of filamentous cells 24 h of exposure to a concentration of 31.2 μg/mL. E demonstrated no effective action against biofilms, though SE showed inhibition against biofilms of all strains. In the in vivo experiment, SE was effective in the treatment of infection after only two days of treatment and was more effective than E and amphotericin B. The S. nitens is active against Candida albicans (C. albicans) and the antifungal potential is being enhanced after incorporation into liquid crystal precursor systems (LCPS). These findings represent a promising application of SE in the treatment of VVC.

In vitro and In vivo Antimicrobial Activities of Medicinal Plants against Crown Gall in Grapevine

항암, 항산화, 항균 활성을 나타내는 9종의 약용식물을 이용하여 포도나무 줄기혹병의 억제효과를 조사하였다. 공시한 식물 중에서 개똥쑥(15mm), 맨드라미의 꽃(27mm)과 잎(13mm), 여주의 미성숙 열매(22mm), 상사화 꽃(7mm), 질경이의 꽃(14mm)과 종자(16mm), 초석잠의 뿌리(13mm), 복숭아 나무의 수지(10mm) 추출물 등이 줄기혹병균(Rhizobium vitis)에 대해 항균활성을 나타내었다. 항균활성의 분획물의 최소억제농도를 확인한 결과 개똥쑥, 맨드라미 잎, 여주 미성숙과 분획물은 각각 50,000배, 질경이 꽃 분획물은 10,000배 희석액이 최소억제농도(MIC)로 확인되었다. 개똥쑥, 맨드라미 꽃과 잎, 여주의 미성숙 열매 추출물의 항균활성물질을 column chromatography와 thin layer chromatography(TLC)를 통하여 분획하였다. 핵산/에틸아세테이트와 메탄올/클로로포름(20:80, v/v)으로 전개한 TLC 분석에서 개똥쑥 추출물에서는 Rf 0.36, 0.69, 0.75, 0.84, 0.94, 맨드라미 꽃 추출물은 Rf 0.96, 0.99, 맨드라미 잎 추출물은 Rf 0.92, 0.97, 여주의 미성숙열매 추출물은 Rf 0.85에서 항균 활성의 분획을 획득하였다. 개똥쑥, 맨드라미 잎, 여주 미성숙 열매 추출물을 물에 희석(500, 1,000, 2,000배)하고 온실에서 R.vitis를 접종한 ‘거봉’ 식물체에 7일 간격으로 관수한 결과, 개똥쑥 희석액은 100%, 맨드라미 잎 추출물(500배 희석액)은 67%, 여주 미성숙 열매 추출물(500배 희석액)은 83.3%의 억제효과를 나타내었다. 이러한 연구 결과는 약용식물 추출물이 포도나무 줄기혹병을 방제할 수 있는 친환경 제제로서의 적용가능성을 제시한 것이라 할 수 있다.

Study on the Phytochemical Analysis and Antioxidants, Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants against Fish Pathogen

Study on the Phytochemical Analysis and Antioxidants, Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants against Fish Pathogen

The malaria co-infection challenge: An investigation into the antimicrobial activity of selected Guinean medicinal plants

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIn sub-Saharan Africa, concomitant occurrence of malaria and invasive infections with micro-organisms such as Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative Escherichia coli and yeasts or fungi such as Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus is common. Non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium chelonae has been recognized as a pulmonary pathogen with increasing frequency without effective therapy. Although less important, the high incidence of Trichophyton rubrum infections along with its ability to evade host defense mechanisms, accounts for the high prevalence of infections with this dermatophyte. Considering the treatment cost of both malaria and microbial infections, along with the level of poverty, most affected African countries are unable to cope with the burden of these diseases. In sub-Saharan Africa, many plant species are widely used in the treatment of these diseases which are traditionally diagnosed through the common symptom of fever. Therefore it is of interest to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants reported for their use against malaria/fever. Materials and methodsBased on an ethnobotanical survey, 34 Guinean plant species widely used in the traditional treatment of fever and/or malaria have been collected and evaluated for their antimicrobial activities. Plants extracts were tested against Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Mycobacterium chelonae, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. ResultsThe most interesting activities against Candida albicans were obtained for the polar extracts of Pseudospondias microcarpa and Ximenia americana with IC50 values of 6.99 and 8.12µg/ml, respectively. The most pronounced activity against Trichophyton rubrum was obtained for the ethanol extract of Terminalia macroptera (IC50 5.59µg/ml). Only 7 of the 51 tested extracts were active against Staphylococcus aureus. From these, the methanolic extracts of the leaves and stem bark of Alchornea cordifolia were the most active with IC50 values of 2.81 and 7.47µg/ml, respectively. Only Terminalia albida and Lawsonia inermis showed activity against Mycobacterium chelonae. None of the tested extracts was active against Escherichia coli. ConclusionA number of traditional Guinean plant species used against malaria/fever showed, in addition to their antiplasmodial properties and antimicrobial activity. The fact that some plant species are involved in the traditional treatment of malaria/fever without any antiplasmodial evidence may be justified by their antimicrobial activities.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Different Solvent Extracts of Tagetes erecta L. Flower, Alone and in Combination with Antibiotics

Bacteria have evolved numerous defences against antimicrobial agent and drug resistance in pathogen is on rise. This is due to rapid development of multi-drug resistance, limited anti-bacterial spectrum and adverse effects of available anti-microbial agents. This necessitates the search for new antimicrobials with diverse structures and novel mechanism of action. Flowers are mostly used for ornamental purposes and they are not frequently worked out hence marigold flower was selected for the study. The antimicrobial activity of different solvent (Hexane, Toluene, Ethyl acetate, Acetone, Methanol and Aqueous) extracts of marigold flowers were evaluated by agar well diffusion method against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of acetone extract and its fraction were evaluated. B. cereus and K. pneumonia were the most sensitive organisms to acetone extract and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 78 μg/ml. Synergistic effect of acetone extract and commercial antibiotics (chloroamphenicol and ceftazidime) against pathogenic bacteria was investigated. The best synergistic activity was with combination of acetone extract and ceftazidime against B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa with FIC indices 0.312 and 0.093 respectively. Only the polar solvent acetone extract showed promising antibacterial and synergistic activity. These results indicate that combination between plant extract and the antibiotics could be useful in fighting emerging drug-resistant microorganisms and choice of the solvent plays a prominent role in evaluating antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants. Flowers can be taken as an alternative source of antimicrobial agent against the human pathogens.

In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts of Aristolochia indica and Toddalia asiatica Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria.

Bacteria have developed multidrug resistance against available antimicrobial agents. Infectious diseases caused by these multidrug-resistant bacteria are major causes of morbidity and mortality in human beings. Synthetic drugs are expensive and inadequate for the treatment of diseases, causing side effects and ineffective against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The medicinal plants are promising to have effective antimicrobial property due to presence of phytochemical compounds like alkaloids, flavanoids, tannins and phenolic compounds. The present study aimed to find the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Multidrug-resistant bacteria were identified by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Production of β-lactamases (extended spectrum β-lactamases, metallo β-lactamase and AmpC β-lactamase) were identified by combination disc method. Antibacterial activity of aqueous and ethanol extract of Aristolochia indica and Toddalia asiatica were detected by agar well diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration. All bacteria used in this study showed antibiotic resistance to ≥3 antibiotics. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Vibrio cholerae were found to be positive for β-lactamase production. Ethanol extract of Aristolochia indica showed more significant antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria than Toddalia asiatica. Ethanol extracts of Aristolochia indica and Toddalia asiatica showed minimum inhibitory concentration values of 50-100 μg/ml and 100-200 μg/ml, respectively against multidrug-resistant bacteria. From this study, it was concluded that Aristolochia indica has more potential to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria than Toddalia asiatica.

Antimicrobial and immunomodulating activities of hesperidin and ellagic acid against diarrheic Aeromonas hydrophila in a murine model

AimsThe present study is designed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo bactericidal and immunomodulating activities of hesperidin (HES) and ellagic acid (EA) against Aeromonas hydrophila. A hydrophila, an uncommon human pathogen, can cause invasive infections in immunocompromised individuals and common clinical presentations in acute gastrointestinal illness, soft-tissue infections and sepsis. The antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants against A. hydrophila have received only cursory attention. MethodsWe examined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values in vitro. Moreover, the effects of HES and EA against bacterial colonization were studied in vivo. Also, humoral immune response was tested against A. hydrophila-LPS or A. hydrophila-ECP antigen preparations and the intestinal histopathological alterations were studied. ResultsData revealed that the treatments with HES and EA each had antimicrobial activities against A. hydrophila. Both HES and EA treatments significantly increased anti-LPS IgM levels and reduced anti-LPS and anti-ECP IgA levels to their normal values in comparison to the infected group, which recorded significantly elevated levels two week post-infection. In conclusion, the present data suggest that HES and EA have antimicrobial and immunomodulating activities against murine A. hydrophila infections. SignificantThese data warrant clinical studies to delineate HES and EA roles in human infectious diseases.

Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants and induction of defense related compounds in banana fruits cv. Robusta against crown rot pathogens

A total of 72 plant extracts were tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit the mycelial growth of Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Colletotrichum musae the causal agents of crown rot disease of banana. The results showed that the leaf extract of Zimmu (an interspecific hybrid of Allium cepa L.×Allium sativum L.) and tuber extract of Zehneria scabra recorded maximum inhibition of mycelial growth and spore germination of both the test pathogens. The dipping of banana fruits in Zimmu leaf extract at 25% conc. exhibited 100% inhibition of crown rot disease in cold storage (14°C) up to 35days and increased the shelf life to 64days. However, at room storage (28±2°C), the same treatment exhibited 86% inhibition of crown rot disease up to 12days. It was found that the treatment of banana fruits with Zimmu leaf extract did not alter the organoleptic properties of banana. The biochemical analysis of banana fruits treated with Zimmu leaf extract showed significant increase in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activities and enhanced accumulation of phenolic compounds compared to other treatments. These findings suggest that the effect of Zimmu leaf extract on crown rot disease may be associated with the direct fungi toxic property against the test pathogens and elicitation of defense related compounds in banana fruits.

Ethnobotany and antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants of Bakhtiari Zagross mountains, Iran

The major aims of this study was to determine ethnobotany and antimicrobial activity of sixteen medicinal, aromatic and nutraceutical plants from high altitude of Bakhtiari Zagross mountains, which are Iranian medicinal plants. Antimicrobial activities of extract of sixteen Iranian folklore plants including, Heracleum lasiopetalum Boiss. (Apiaceae), Satureja bachtiarica Bunge. (Lamiacae), Thymus daenensis Celak. (Lamiacae), Ziziphora teniur L. (Lamiacae),Echiophora platyloba L. (Apiaceae), Dracocephalum multicaule Benth. (Lamiacae), Kelussia odoratissima Mozff. (Apiaceae), Mentha longifolia Hudson. (Lamiacae), Achillea kellalensisBoiss. (Asteraceae), Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl. (Lamiacae), Hypericum scabrum L. (Hypericaceae), Quercus brantii Lindley. (Fagaceae), Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae), Pistachia atlantica Desf. (Anacardiaceae), Arnebia euchroma (Royle.) Johnston. (Boraginaceae) and Salvia hydrangea DC. (Lamiacae) were investigated against strains ofStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Candida albicans by agar disc diffusion and serial dilution assays. The results of the study reveal that some of species play an important role in primary healthcare system of these tribal communities. Some of the medicinal plants showed relatively high antimicrobial activity against all the tested bacteria and fungi. In conclusion, it can be said that the extract and essential oil of some of the medicinal plants from high altitude of Bakhtiari Zagross Mountains could be used as natural antibacterial agents in the food preservation and human health. Key words: Medicinal plants, ethnobotany, ‎antimicrobial activity, high altitude, Zagross mountains.

Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants used by aborigines of Kalahandi, Orissa, India against multidrug resistant bacteria

ObjectiveTo evaluate the antimicrobial potency of 20 non-edible and/or poisonous plants used by an aborigine tribe (Kandha) of Kalahandi district for infectious diseases. MethodsOver a period of 5 months from two hospitals, 10 pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Acinetobacter sp., Citrobacter freundii (C. freundii), Chromobacterium violeceum (C. violeceum), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) and Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) were isolated to pure axenic cultures from clinical samples. Water and ethanolic extracts of leaves and barks were concentrated before monitoring antimicrobial activity by agar-well diffusion method. ResultsAll bacterial strains isolated were multidrug resistant. Ethanolic extract of most plants had effective antimicrobial activity against all the isolated multidrug resistant bacteria. Plants, Anthocephalus cadamba (A. cadamba) and Pterocarpus santalinus (P. santalinus) had antibacterial effect on all used bacteria. Water extract of several plants too had effective antimicrobial activity for all bacteria used. Effective in vitro control of MDR strains of Acinetobacter sp., C. freundii, Proteus sp. and P. aeruginosa, the most potential urinary tract infection causing organisms by plant extracts of all major plant used herein is recorded. MDR C. violaceum isolated from skin lesions was found to be resistant to imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactam and amoxyclav and was found sensitive to 13 plant extracts. ConclusionEffective in vitro control of MDR strains of Acinetobacter sp., C. freundii, Proteus sp. and P. aeruginosa; enteropathogenic bacteria, E. coli, S. typhi, Klebsiella s p. and V. cholerae were found to be well controlled by all plant extracts used.

HERBAL PLANTS AND PROPIONIBACTERIUM ACNES: AN OVERVIEW

Propionibacterium acnes are gram-positive anaerobic microorganism, which have been most recognized as a key factor for the development of acne. Acne is the most common skin disease and Propionibacterium acnes have been recognized as pus-forming bacteria triggering an inflammation in acne. Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous follicle, characterized by comedones, papules, pustules, cysts, nodules and often scars in certain sites of predilection, namely, the face, neck, upper trunk and arms. The present compiled work was conducted to make an overview and correlation between antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants against these etiologic agents of acne vulgaris. Different parts of various medicinal plants belongs to families like Liliaceae, Rutaceae, Zingiberaceae, Myrtaceae, Lamiaceae, etc. contains alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, volatile oil and essential oil which are reported with significant effect against this bacteria.

The antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants to treat sexually transmitted infections (STI's)

The antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants to treat sexually transmitted infections (STI's)

Preliminary study on the effect of anaerobically digested cow dung slurry on the antimicrobial activity of three medicinal plants

The study investigated the effect of anaerobically digested cow dung using polyethylene tube digester on the antimicrobial property of Aloe barbadensis, (Aloe vera) Allium sativum (Garlic) and Zingiber officinale (Ginger). The methanol extracts of the three medicinal plants grown on soil augmented with anaerobically digested cow dung slurry exhibited marked antimicrobial activities onStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Asperigillus niger and Trichophyton mentogrophyte isolated from clinical specimens. All the three medicinal plants grown on digested cow dung slurry exhibited greater mean zones of inhibition on all the pathogens than that grown on soil augmented with undigested cow dung and soil not augmented at all. A. sativum (Garlic) raised on digested cow dung slurry exhibited the highest mean zones of inhibitions with spore germination of the fungi totally inhibited when compared with the two other medicinal plants. The results in this study have shown that anaerobically digested cow dung slurry does not only yield pathogen free manure, increased fertilizer and biogas but can improve the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants. Key words: Plastic digester, cow dung, anaerobic, soil, antimicrobial, medicinal plants.

Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants against oral microorganisms

Ethanol extracts of eight plant species used traditionally in South Africa for the treatment of oral diseases were investigated for in vitro antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens namely Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces israelii, Candida albicans, Porphyromonus gingivalis, Privotella intermedia and Streptococcus mutans using the disk diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of ethanol extracts were determined against these microorganisms using micro dilution. The cytotoxicity and therapeutic index (TI) of selected active extracts were also determined. Out of eight plants, six ( Annona senegalensis, Englerophytum magalismontanum, Dicerocarym senecioides, Euclea divinorum, Euclea natalensis, Solanum panduriforme and Parinari curatellifolia) exhibited MIC values ranging from 25.0 mg/ml to 0.8 mg/ml. Gram negative bacteria were found to be more resistant to the plant extracts than Gram positive bacteria, except for Euclea natalensis which inhibited all three Gram negative bacteria tested in this study. All plant extracts showed moderate cytotoxicity on the Vero cell line. The fifty percent inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of all plants tested range from 92.3 to 285.1 μg/ml.