Antimicrobial activity of Guinea-Bissau traditional remedies

The ethanolic extracts of twelve plants selected through ethnomedical survey in Guinea-Bissau were investigated for their in vitro antimicrobial properties over ten bacteria and Candida albicans, using agar diffusion and dilution methods. All the tested extracts showed some activity against at least one of the bacteria. Most of the extracts (79%) showed activity against Staphylococcus aureus and only one (Cryptolepis sanguinolenta) against Escherichia coli. Cryptolepis sanguinolenta and Terminalia macroptera root extracts showed some activity against Candida albicans as well as showing an interesting profile of activity against most of the enteropathogen microorganisms. Inhibition zones against Staphylococcus aureus were localised on extract chromatograms by bioautographic techniques.