Antimicrobial Activity of Ageratum conyzoides against Staphylococcus aureus
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Ageratum conyzoides is a native annual branching herb, which grows to approximately 1 m
in height and usually found open and abandoned areas . This plant is commonly used in
traditional medicine, especially for wound healing (Sing et al., 2012).
Methodswhich are usedinhealing wound infections include debridement, antibiotics, tissue
grafts and proteolytic enzymes. However, these methods have major drawbacks and
unwanted side effects. Recently there is a tendency towards the uses of traditional medicines
as it shows the better cultural acceptability and better compatibility with the human body
and also fewer side effects (Parekh et al., 2005).
Fresh plant materials of A.conyzoides were collected and washed using tap water .Then they
were separated into flowers, leaves, roots and stems and were air dried in shade for 7 days
and powdered using mortar and pestle. The powdered plant materials were sieved and stored
in airtight containers. Plant material extracts were obtained with 95% methanol using the
soxhlet apparatus. Each extracts were concentrated and solvents were fully evaporated, by
rotary evaporator (150 rpm) at 40 C. The obtained concentrates were transferred to
McCarthy glass vials and placed under room temperature for complete dryness. Then they
were stored in airtight vials under refrigerated conditions.
Staphylococcus aureuspure cultures were collected from the Medical Research Institute
(MRI) Colombo and from them liquid cultures were prepared using Nutrient broth. Then
they were incubated at 37°C for 24 hrs.
The powdered plant materials were measured into separate McCartney bottles and
appropriate volume of the extracts were added to make a stock solution of 200mg/mL.
Sterile nutrient agar plates were prepared and allowed to solidify. A 0.1 mL of liquid culture
of S. aureuswas spread equally on the solidified nutrient agar plate. After one hour five
wells were dug in each plates using a sterile cork borer (5mm diameter).Concentration series
of extracts (200mg/mL, 100mg/mL,50 mg/mL, 25mg/mL and 12.5 mg/mL) were prepared
and from them 0.5mLof extracts were added to wells in appropriately labelled plates. As the
control 95% methanol was used. The plates were left on the bench for few minutes for the
extract to diffuse into the agar and later incubated at 37°C for 24hours. After the incubation
the zone of clearance around each well was measured using a metric ruler by taking
measurement of the inhibition zones. Minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) was
determined for extracts that showed less than 7 mm(<7 mm) diameter inhibition zone.
Description
Keywords
Science and Technology, Technology, Computer Science, Antimicrobial, Indigenous Medicine, Herbal Plant