ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF JUNIPERUS POLYCARPUS AND GERANIUM ROBERTIANUM LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST PATHOGENIC STAPHYLOCCOCAL STRAINS

Background and Aim:Staphylococcus epidermidis, the main pathogen in implant-related infections, is common bacteria of human skin that form biofilms on the surface of surgical implants. Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive, commensal bacterium that colonize the human skin, nasopharynx and gastrointestinal tract which causes a variety of localized and invasive infections such as bacteremia, osteomyelitis, arthritis and prosthetic joint infections. Juniperus genus has 6 species in Iran and is used in traditional medicine for wound healing, diabetes, tuberculosis, pneumonia and gastric ulcer. Geranium genus is used as an antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible antibacterial properties of leaf extract of these plants.Methods:methanolic extracts of freeze-dried plant leafs were prepared by Perculation method. Then Serial dilution of herbal extracts from 0.19 to 100mg/ml in distilled water and 5% DMSO were prepared and the Minimum Inhibition Concentrations (MICs) were performed according to the CLSI standard protocols in 96-well microplates. The plates were titrated with TTC (Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride)-dye after 24hours of incubation to determine the MIC value.Results:the outcomes revealed that the MICs of both extracts had the same results for S. aureus and S. epidemidis that was 1.57mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml respectively. The Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of Geranium extract for S. aureus and S. epidemidis was obtained 12.5mg/ml and 3.12mg/ml respectively, and for the Juniperus extract was obtained 25mg/ml for both bacteria.Conclusion:according to this study, both leaf extracts demonstrated high bacteriostatic and bactericide properties which could be great candidates for staphylococcal infections treatment.

Keywords:

Antibacterial , Plant extract , Geranium robertianum , Juniperus polycarpus , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Staphylococcus aureus