The Comparative Study on in vitro Antibacterial Effects of Different Aqueous Extracts of Artemisia Species (Short report)

Abstract

Background: Nosocomial infections are significant parts of the treatment challenges of hospitals. Different species of the Artemisia genus are widely distributed in Iran. The present study aimed to compare the in vitro effects of different aqueous extracts of Artemisia species against nosocomial bacterial strains. Methods: 24 different aqueous extracts, including decoctions and infusions were prepared from the aerial parts of Artemisia ciniformis, A. turanica, A. kopetdaghensis, A. khorasanica, A. vulgaris, and A. sieberi. Total phenolic contents were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the extracts against the bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Acinetobacter sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphyloccocus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus, Klebsiella neumonia and Escherichia coli were measured using the microdilution broth method. Results: The lowest MIC value was observed for the decoction of A. turanica (0.25 mg/ml) against S. pyogenes. The largest range of bacterial sensitivity (3 strains) was related to the decoction of A. sieberi. The growth of S. epidermidis was inhibited by a larger group of extracts. The highest total phenolic content was recorded for decoction and infusion of A. turanica. Conclusion: The decoctions of the aerial parts of A. sieberi and A. turanica were superior to the other extracts in terms of the in vitro antibacterial spectrum and selective potency, respectively.