Antimicrobial activity of Zatacin against bacterial diarrheal pathogens

Abstract

<strong>Background:</strong> Calf diarrhea is an important disease that is caused by different pathogens including bacteria, virus and parasites and is associated with economic losses. <strong>Objectives: </strong>In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial activities of Zatacin (<em>Z. multiflora</em> aerial part ethanol extract), colistin, co-Trimoxazole and enrofloxacin against clinical isolates of <em>Salmonella</em> sp, <em>E. coli</em> and <em>Campylobacter</em> sp isolated from diarrheic calves. <strong>Methods:</strong> Disc diffusion method and microbroth dilution assay were used for antimicrobial evaluation. <strong>Results: </strong>In disc diffusion method, the antibacterial activity of Zatacin increased dose dependently. The sensitivity of different isolates of <em>E. coli</em>, <em>Salmonella</em> sp and <em>Campylobacter</em> sp to Zatacin was almost the same. The antibacterial activity of Zatacin was lower than that of enrofloxacin but it was higher than co-Trimoxazole and colistin. The means of MIC values of Zatacin for <em>E.coli</em> were higher than that of <em>Campylobacter</em> sp and <em>Salmonella</em> sp but its means of MBC values for <em>E. coli</em> were lower than that of two other bacteria. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Zatacin can be used as an antimicrobial agent in treatment of infectious causes of calf scours instead of antibiotics with undesired adverse effects on animal and humans.