Abel Kidane, Aron Rezene, Ogbay G/Hannes, Sham G/Michael, Shewit Mehreteab, Jeevan Jyoti and Hagos Andom
Background
The current practice of prescribing antibiotics to treat UTIs is empirical and nonsensical in most resourcelimited countries. The difficulties in the use of culture and DST for patients with UTIs, the irrational use of antibiotics, prolonged time usage, and the availability of a few drug classes are boosting the emerging of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, assessing and evaluating activities of traditional medicinal plants against such infectious organisms is critical.
Methodology
Three plant leaves were collected and extracted using the standard cold extraction methods and the yield was obtained. The extracted ingredients were then subjected to Multidrug Resistant (MDR) UTI causing bacteria isolated from catheterized patients to determine their antibacterial activity. MIC and MBC values were also carried out.
Results
Leaves of Lannea fruticosa gave the highest yield in all the extracts in its aqueous extract (22.6%), chloroform extract (7.6%), ethanol-aqueous extracts (19.04%). From the isolated organisms E. coli (0.83), P. aeruginosa (0.75), P. mirabilis (0.83) had highest MAR INDEX and were exclusively selected for the study. The aqueous extract of Lannea fruticosa showed the highest activity against both P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis which was 20 mm and 19.5 mm of inhibition zone respectively. The MIC values of aqueous extracts of Lannea fruticosa against P. mirabilis and P. aeruginosa was at 1.953 mg/ml and the highest MBC value was recorded at 15.86 mg/ml in the ethanolaqueous extract of Malva parviflora against P. aeruginosa.
Conclusion
Generally, all plant extracts revealed a good antibacterial effect with a very remarkable inhibition zone against the isolated organisms even better than some antibiotics supplemented to the patients. This significant result may be due to the active phytochemical compounds the plants contain. Therefore, evaluating the activities of these medicinal plants on in vivo activities and further toxicological studies will be beneficial as it will help in formulating effective antibiotics against infectious organisms.