Full Length Research Paper

In vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby and J. W. Grimes

Nina Claudia Barboza da Silva¹*, Maria Apparecida Esquibel², Jaci do Espírito Santo Santos³, Mara Zélia de Almeida⁴, Corine Silva Sampaio⁴ and Tânia Fraga Barros⁴

¹Plant Production Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário s/n, Cx. Postal 16, 29500-000, Alegre-ES, Brazil.

²Plant Biotechnology Postgraduate Program, Health Science Center, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, bloco K, 2° andar, sala 20 - Ilha do Fundão, 21944-970, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil.

³Barra II Community Association, 44859-000, Morro do Chapéu-BA, Brazil.

⁴Pharmacy Faculty, Federal University of Bahia, Campus de Ondina, Av. Barão Geremoabo, 40170- 240 Salvador-BA, Brazil.

Corresponding author. E-mail: ninacbs@terra.com.br. Tel: +55 28 35528618.

Fax: +55 28 35538627.

Accepted 5 July, 2010

 Abstract

The usage of Abarema cochliacarpos (Mimosaceae) in traditional medicine by many communities in Brazil for diseases such as leucorrhea and dermatitis and as an antiseptic might indicate its antimicrobial activities. In order to assay in vitro antimicrobial activity, three extracts (hot aqueous extract, cold aqueous extract and methanol extract) from stem bark of A. cochliacarpos were tested against a panel of standard microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus ATTC 6835, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341, Escherichia coli ATCC 10536, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, Salmonella choleraesuis ATCC 10708, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 9533 and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404) and multiresistant clinical isolates (S. aureus MR 01, MR02 and MR03). The antimicrobial activity was evaluated through the disk diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the micro dilution method. The results indicated that both aqueous extracts are active against gram-positive bacteria (M. luteus ATCC 9341, S. aureus ATCC 6835, and all clinical multiresistant samples) and against gram-negative bacteria (S. choleraesuis ATCC 10708). MIC values ranged between 5.0 and 15.62 µg/ml for gram-positive bacteria. The methanol extract gave a positive result only for gram-positive bacteria (ATTC standards M. luteus and S. aureus and all clinical multiresistant samples).

Key words: Abarema cochliacarpos, antimicrobial activity, gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, medicinal plant, traditional use.