Comparison of the antibacterial activity of argentine plant extracts with synthetic drugs. (Analisis comparativo de la capacidad antibacteriana de extractos vegetales y drogas sintéticas)

SOBERÓN, J.R.; QUIROGA, E.N.; VATTUONE, M.A.

Memorias del Congreso Internacional de Biotecnología y Agricultura (Bioveg 2005)(formato CD-ROM, no corresponde indicar numero total de páginas)

Centro de Bioplantas

Lugar: Ciego de Avila, Cuba.; Año: 2005; p. 1 - 10

Tinctures, decoctions and infusions were prepared according to the Farmacopea Argentina VIta. Ed. Aerial parts of 20 plants collected in the Northwest of Argentina were selected. The extracts from Leonurus sibiricus, Tripodanthus acutifolius, Psittacanthus cuneifolius and Jodina rhombifolia showed the highest antibacterial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria isolated from diverse cutaneous pathologies and on phytopathogenic bacteria. The comparison of the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and of the minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the plant extracts with synthetic antibiotics showed that the raw extracts of T. acutifolius prepared as tinctures have an antibacterial potency higher than Cefotaxime (640/640 mg . mL) (an antibiotic of ample spectrum) for       Acinetobacter freundii (110/140 mg . mL), Proteus mirabilis (220/440 mg . mL) y Pseudomonas aeruginosa (440/440 mg . mL) isolated from superficial wounds; on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27893) (110/220 mg . mL) and on phytopathogens: Xantomonas campestris (55/55 mg . mL) and  Pseudomonas corrugata ( 220/220 mg . mL). The MICs and MBCs of the tincture of T. acutifolius were lower than that determined for Ampicillin (>640/>640 mg . mL) for Enterococcus faecali (440/440 mg . mL) of our collection and for E. faecali  (ATCC 29212) (440/440 mg . mL). Other interesting antibacterial effects were found in the tinctures of Leonurus sibiricus, Psittacanthus cuneifolius and Jodina rhombifolia. Our results confirm the therapeutic potency of at least four from the 20 analysed plant species thus providing a rationale for their use in traditional medicine. They can be a source of new antibacterial principles  for future studies on their isolation, purification, structural identification and pharmacological properties.