Anti-Streptococcus
pyogenes Activity of Selected Medicinal Plant
Extracts Used in Thai Traditional Medicine
Surasak Limsuwan1
and Supayang P Voravuthikunchai2*
1Faculty of Traditional Thai
Medicine and Natural Products Research Center of
Excellence, 2Department of Microbiology and
Natural Products Research Center of Excellence, Faculty
of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai,
Songkhla, Thailand
*For
correspondence:
Email:
supayang.v@psu.ac.th
Tel: +6674 446661
Received: 5 December 2012 Revised accepted: 25 June
2013
Tropical Journal of
Pharmaceutical Research, August 2013; 12(4): 535-540
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v12i4.14
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the
anti-Streptococcus pyogenes activity of selected
medicinal plants used in Thai traditional medicine.
Methods: Sixty-nine extracts of 51
selected Thai medicinal plant species were tested for
anti-S. pyogenes activity by paper disc agar diffusion
and broth microdilution methods.
Results: Ten plants including
Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schltr., Cinnamomum
bejolghota (Buch.-Ham.) Sweet, Cinnamomum porrectum
(Roxb) Kosterm, Eleutherine americana Merr.,
Gymnopetalum cochinchinensis (Lour.) Kurz, Piper betle
L., Quercus infectoria G. Olivier, Quisqualis indica L,
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk., and Walsura
robusta Roxb. demonstrated good antibacterial activity
against S. pyogenes NPRC 101. These plants were selected
and further evaluated for their anti-S. pyogenes
activity against 11 isolates of S. pyogenes from
patients with upper respiratory tract infections. Three
plants including Boesenbergia pandurata, Eleutherine
americana, and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa exhibited good
antibacterial activity against all S. pyogenes isolates
and produced similar activities against different tested
isolates. Boesenbergia pandurata and Rhodomyrtus
tomentosa demonstrated antibacterial activity with the
same minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal
bactericidal concentration (MBC) range of 3.91 - 31.25
µg/ml whereas Eleutherine americana displayed MIC and
MBC values of 250 and 250-500 µg/ml against all S.
pyogenes isolates.
Conclusion:
Boesenbergia pandurata,
Eleutherine americana, and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa have
great antibacterial potentials against S. pyogenes.
Keywords: Antibacterial activity,
Boesenbergia pandurata, Eleutherine americana,
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Thai
medicinal plant, Upper respiratory tract infections.