Antifungal and antibacterial effects of Ruta- graveolens extracts

Abstract

Indiscriminate and excessive uses of antibiotics may be lead promote the emergence of <em>antibiotic</em>-resistant microorganisms and side effects in patients. Therefore the researchers recently have focused on the use of natural resources, especially medicinal plants. <em>Ruta graveolens</em> is a kind of medical plants which contains antifungal and antibacterial components and use in traditional medicine in Iran and other nations. The main goal of this research was investigation of antimicrobial effects of aquatic and alcoholic extracts of this plant on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and four <em>Candida albicans</em> selected. For this aim antibacterial and antifungal activities of <em>Ruta graveolens</em> extracts on <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em><em> (</em>PTCC 1431)<em>, Bacillus subtilis</em>(PTCC 1720),<em> Escherichia coli </em>(PTCC 1763)<em> and Pseudomonas</em> <em>aeroginosa</em> (PTCC 1599) and four <em>Candida albicans</em> isolated form Denture stomatitis were evaluated by measurement of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal and fungacidal concentration (MBC, MFC), disc diffusion and well diffusion methods. The results indicated that aquatic, methanolic and ethanolic extracts with different MIC and MBC have been effective on growth selected bacteria and <em>Candida albicans</em><em>.</em>