Antimicrobial activity of extracts of local cough mixtures on upper respiratory tract bacterial pathogens

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pharmacognosy
• Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

• Many traditional cough mixtures utilize common ingredients with presumed medicinal properties.
• Scientific validation of the antimicrobial efficacy of these ingredients is crucial for evidence-based medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To screen the antimicrobial activity of six common ingredients used in local cough mixtures.
• To evaluate their efficacy against a panel of clinically relevant bacteria and a yeast.

Main Methods:

• The study employed the punched-hole and paper disc diffusion methods for antimicrobial screening.
• A range of bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Salmonella paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei) and Candida albicans were tested.

Main Results:

• Lime, garlic, onion, and honey demonstrated antimicrobial activity against most tested organisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Shigella dysenteriae.
• Bitter-kola nut extract and palm kernel oil exhibited no antimicrobial activity.
• Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were the most susceptible organisms, while Salmonella paratyphi and Shigella sonnei were resistant to all tested extracts.

Conclusions:

• Lime, garlic, onion, and honey possess significant antimicrobial properties, supporting their traditional use in cough formulations.
• Bitter-kola nut extract and palm kernel oil lack antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogens.
• Further research into the active compounds and mechanisms of action of effective ingredients is warranted.