Antibacterial Activities of Monsonia Angustifolia and Momordica Balsamina Linn Extracts against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii

Carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is resistant to most of the available antibiotics and poses serious therapeutic challenges. The study investigated Monsonia angustifolia (M. angustifolia) and Momordica balsamina Linn (M. balsamina Linn) extracts for antibacterial activity against a clinical isolate of carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion and TLC coupled with bioautography. MIC determination experiments were conducted on a molecularly characterized A. baumannii isolate identified using VITEK2. Positive PCR detection of bla_OXA-51 and bla_OXA-23 confirmed isolate identity and the presence of a carbapenemase-encoding gene. Antibacterial activity was observed with the methanolic extract of M. balsamina Linn with a MIC of 0.5 mg/mL. Compounds with Rf values of 0.05; 0.17; 0.39 obtained from M. angustifolia hexane extract; compounds with Rf values of 0.58; 0.78; 0.36; 0.48; 0.5; 0.56; 0.67; 0.9 obtained from M. angustifolia dichloromethane extract; compounds with Rf values of 0.11; 0.56; 0.24; 0.37 obtained from M. angustifolia acetone extract and compounds with Rf values of 0.11; 0.27 obtained from M. angustifolia methanol extract demonstrated a level of antibacterial activity. M. angustifolia and M. balsamina Linn plant extracts have a clinically significant antibacterial activity against a carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii strain.