Invitro antibacterial activity of crude preparation of myrtle (Myrtus communis) on common human pathogens

Myrtle "Addus" (Myrtus communis) has long history as a traditional medicine/or different infectious disease by many peoples of the world and in Ethiopia too.

To asses the antibacterial activity of crude myrtle on some common human pathogens.

This experimental study was conducted in Jimma University from February to April 2004. The antimicrobial activity/ minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations/ of the crude preparation of Myrtle on E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, P. vulgaris, P. mirabilis, K. aerogenes, S. typhi & S. shigie was determined using agar dilution methods.

The Minimum Bactericidal Concentration of Myrtle for most tested microorganisms was similar to the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration. i.e. 0.5 mg/ml. for S. aureus, 2.5 mg/ml for P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris, 15 mg/ ml for Klebssiela and S. typhi, 20 mg/ml for P. aeruginosa. And the MBC of Myrtle for the two relatively least sensitive species, Shigella and E. coli was 40 mg/ml and 45 mg/ml of media, respectively. The antibacterial activity of Myrtle was markedly increased by 18 times after it has been autoclaved at 121 degrees C for 15 minutes.

The preliminary study supports its traditional claim of effective anti-infective and could initiate further study that may ultimately facilitate to use myrtle as an antimicrobial agent. However, pharmacologically standardization and clinical evaluation on the effect of myrtle is essential, before using it as antibacterial agent in vivo.