Antibacterial Activity of Medicinal Plants Against Pathogens causing Complicated Urinary Tract Infections

Area of Science:

• Ethnomedicine
• Microbiology
• Pharmacognosy

Background:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, often caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens.
• Traditional Indian medicine utilizes various plants for treating infections, including UTIs.
• There is a need to scientifically validate the efficacy of these folklore remedies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the antibacterial potential of seventeen Indian folklore medicinal plants.
• To determine the effectiveness of different plant extracts against major MDR urinary tract pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Aqueous, ethanol, and acetone extracts of 17 Indian medicinal plants were prepared.
• Disc diffusion method was employed to test extracts against 66 MDR isolates.
• Pathogens tested included Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis.

Main Results:

• Ethanol extracts of Zingiber officinale and Punica granatum demonstrated significant activity against Escherichia coli.
• Terminalia chebula and Ocimum sanctum ethanol extracts were effective against Klebsiella pneumoniae.
• Cinnamomum cassia ethanol extract showed maximum activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Azadirachta indica and Ocimum sanctum extracts were active against Enterococcus faecalis.

Conclusions:

• The study validates the traditional use of specific Indian medicinal plants for treating urinary tract infections.
• Ethanol extracts of selected plants possess promising antibacterial properties against MDR UTI pathogens.
• These findings support further research into phytomedicines for combating antibiotic resistance in UTIs.