The possible role of medicinal plants in tackling resistant microbial pathogens in Limpopo Province, South Africa

The present study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial activities of nine selected medicinal plants against metheciline resistance coagulase negative Staphylococcus, metheciline resistance Staphylococcus aureus and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloace and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. The grounded plant materials were extracted with different extractants and screened for anti-microbial activity using the disk diffusion, micro-dilution techniques and bioautographic methods. Preliminary screening revealed that methanol extracts were most active against all assayed bacteria. Metheciline resistance coagulase negative Staphylococcus and metheciline resistance S. aureus were found to be susceptible to all crude methanolic extracts of all tested plants (100%), followed by P. aeroginosa and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli, E. cloace. Contact biautography indicated that Schotia brachypetala extracts possess one major anti-microbial component against extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli, E. cloace and four components against P. aeroginosa The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration recorded for the different crude methanol extracts against metheciline resistance coagulase negative Staphylococcus, metheciline resistance S. aureus and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli, E. cloace and P. aeroginosa were 500, 125 and 250 ug/ml respectively. This study also confirm the antimicrobial potential of investigated plants and their usefulness in treatment of resistance microorganisms both gram-negative and gram-positive.