Antimicrobial activity of nine extracts of sechium edule (Jacq) swartz

The antimicrobial properties of Sechium edule (Jacq) Swartz alcoholic extracts obtained according to the Farmacopea Argentina (6th edn) were tested against bacteria of clinical relevance as nosocomial pathogens. To evaluate antibacterial activity, the disc diffusion assay was carried out with several gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212). This assay was suitable for the screening of a large number of extracts at one time. All ethanolic extracts showed activity against gram-positive bacteria. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined with a microdilution assay. The highest activity was obtained with the 80% aqueous-ethanolic leaf extract (MIC values of 4.16/8.32 mg/ml against staphylococci and enterococci) and with the 96% ethanolic seed extract (MIC values of 8.32/16.64 mg/ml and /8.32 mg/ml against staphylococci and enterococci, respectively). The results indicate that both fluid extract and tincture have very good antimicrobial efficacy against all strains of multiresistant staphylococci and enterococci. In this study the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were identical to the MIC values or twofold higher than the corresponding MIC. This may indicate a bactericidal effect. Stored extracts have similar anti-staphylococcal and anti-enterococcal activity to recently obtained extracts. The results obtained might be considered sufficient to warrant further studies aimed at isolation and identification of the active principle.Fil: Ordoñez, Alicia Lucia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, José D.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Cudmani, Norma Mercedes. Gobierno de la Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Salud. Sistema Provincial de Salud. Hospital de Clínicas "Dr. Nicolás Avellaneda"; Argentina. Gobierno de la Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Salud. Departamento Bioquímico; ArgentinaFil: Vattuone, Marta Amelia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Estudios Vegetales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Isla, Maria Ines. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Estudios Vegetales; Argentin

Morphoanatomical Studies and Antipneumococcal and Antioxidant Activities of Leaves from Tetrapanax papyriferum (Hook) K. Koch

Tetrapanax papyriferum (Hook) K.Koch (Araliaceae) es usada tradicionalmente en la medicina China para tratar inflamaciones y disenterías. En nuestro país es utilizada como sustituto de Cecropia pachystachya Mart. (= Cecropia adenopus Mart.) (Cecropiaceae). Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron determinar los caracteres micrográficos de T. papyriferum, que permitan su identificación y evaluar su capacidad antibiótica frente a microorganismos de interés en procesos respiratorios así como su capacidad antioxidante. Preparados hidroalcohólicos de hojas de T. papyriferum  presentan actividad inhibitoria del crecimiento de Streptococcus pneumoniae (cepas sensibles y resistentes a  b-lactámicos) con valores de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de 100 mg/mL y actividad  depuradora de radicales libres con valores de CD50 de 7,5 mg/mL. Nuestros resultados indican que los extractos de T. papyriferum tienen podrían tener potenciales aplicaciones como antimicrobianos y antioxidantes en formulaciones farmacéuticas.Tetrapanax papyriferum (Hook) K. Koch (Araliaceae) is traditional- ly used in China medicine to treat inflammations and dysenteries. In Argentina is used as substitute of Cecropia pachystachya Mart. (= Cecropia adenopus Mart.) (Cecropiaceae). The aims of the present work were to deter- mine the T. papyriferum micrographic characters in order to its identification and to evaluate the antibiotic activi- ty against microorganisms with interest in breathing processes as well as their antioxidant activity. Leaves hy- droalcoholic extracts of T. papyriferum present inhibitory activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae (either β- lactamic sensitive and resistant strains) with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 100 μg/mL and radicals free scavenging activity with CD50 values of 7,5 μg/mL. Our results suggest that the extracts of T. pa- pyriferum could be used as antimicrobial and antioxidant in pharmaceutical preparationsFil: Yurquina Rojas, Salomé. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Estudios Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Cudmani, Norma Mercedes. Hospital de clinicas Dr. Nicolas Avellaneda; ArgentinaFil: Rojo, Stella de Jesús. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Estudios Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Isla, Maria Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentin

Antibacterial activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Acacia aroma Gill. ex Hook et Arn

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of seven ethanolic extracts and three aqueous extracts from various parts (leaves, stems and flowers) of A. aroma against 163 strains of antibiotic multi-resistant bacteria. The disc diffusion assay was performed to evaluate antibacterial activity of the A. aroma crude extracts, against several Gram-positive bacteria (E. faecalis, S. aureus, coagulase-negative stahylococci, S. pyogenes, S.agalactiae, S. aureus ATCC 29213, E. faecalis ATCC 29212) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli., K.pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, E. cloacae, S. marcescens, M morganii, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. maltophilia, E. coli  ATCC 35218, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, E. coli ATCC 25922). All ethanolic extracts showed activity against gram-positive bacteria. Among all obtained extracts, only leaf and flower fluid extracts showed activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Based on this bioassay, leaf fluid extracts tended to be the most potent, followed by flower fluid extracts. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of extracts and antibiotics were comparatively determined by agar and broth dilution methods. Both extracts were active against S. aureus, coagulase-negative stahylococci, E. faecalis and E. faecium and all tested Gram-negative bacteria with MIC values from 0.067 to 0.308 mg/ml. In this study the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were  identical or twice as high than the corresponding MIC for leaf extracts and four or eight times higher than MIC values for flower extracts. This may indicate a bactericidal effect. Stored extracts have similar antibacterial activity as recently obtained extracts.Fil: Arias, Myriam Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, J. D.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Cudmani, Norma Mercedes. Hospital de Clínicas, Dr. Avellaneda; ArgentinaFil: Vattuone, Marta Amelia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Isla, Maria Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentin