Basrah Journal of Veterinary research

EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF PHENOLIC EXTRAC FROM HALOXYLON SALICORNICUM

Abbas, B.A*. , Al-Saeed , M.H** and Othman , R.M*.
*Department of Microbiology , **Department of Physiology and Pharmacology , College of Veterinary Medicine , University of Basrah ,Basrah Iraq .
(Received 21 February 2008,Accepted 22 April 2008)

ABSTRACT

Investigation of antibacterial and antifungal activity of phenolic extract of Haloxylon salicornicum was carried out in this study on Gram positive and Gram negative pathogenic bacteria and some species of fungi. The results exhibited variable susceptibilities of microorganisms for different concentration of phenolic extract. The activity of this extract was associated with high concentrations. Using plate method, phenolic extract of H. salicornicum had the highest effect and wide diameter of growth inhibition zone against Candida albicans and Klebsiella pneumonia, and it has no effect on growth of Asprigillus fumigatus and A.. terreus only when very high concentrations is used.

INTRODUCTION

A new wave of research interested in traditional practices which might be used as antimicrobial has been stimulated by the renewed attention to natural therapies . Microbiologist have two reasons to be interested in topic of antimicrobial plant extracts. First, it is very likely that these phytochemical will find their way in to arsenal of antimicrobial drugs prescribed by physicians. New sources, especially plant sources, are also being investigated. Second, the public is becoming increasingly aware of problem with the over prescription and misuse of traditional antibiotics (1) .
H. salicornicum, a plant belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae, grow as a small herb and cultivated in desert in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Haloxylon is used as folk medicine such as antiulcer (2) , diuretic activity (3) hypoglycemic and antibacterial (4) . The plant contains phenols compound , which was isolated and identified as an antibacterial substance by Brantner and Grein (5). Phenyl propane-derives compounds which are in highest oxidation state. Two types of alkaloids compounds of H. salicornicum have been isolated, betain and piperdine.
However, antimicrobial evaluation of phenols compound from H. salicornicum not understood, therefore, we examined the antimicrobial activity of H. salicornicum extract on bacterial and fungal growth.

Material and Methods
Plant material and extraction:
The plant of H. salicornicum were purchase from the local market of Basrah . The plant was grind or crushed to power (20g) which was used for phenols extract with acetic acid (400ml) using reflex condenser below 70ºC for 8hrs and let solution to cooled. Solution was separated by centrifugation and put below part in separation funnel and equilibrium of n-propane and NaCl for were added to saturation, this revealed two layer which contain phenolic compounds which was concentrated under reduced pressure by a rotary evaporation below 40º (6)

Microbial:
Six types of pathogenic bacteria & five species of fungi were previously isolated and identified by other works. To study the antimicrobial activity of phenolic extrac of H. salicornicum, Muller-Hinton agar medium was used for bacteria growth, plates were incubates at 37ºC for 24-48 hrs. For fungal growth ; potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium was used for growth of Candida albicans and sabroud dextrose agar (SDA) was used for growth of Aspergillus species. Plates were incubated at 25ºC for 3-5 days.
In both cases the method of well contain extract were used and the inhibition zones were measured by scale and compared with the control (7).

RESULTS

The results of the study are summarized in Table 1. The table shows the means of diameter of inhibition zone induced by phenolic extract of H. salicornicum on the growth of microorganisms. The inhibition zones induced by extract also illustrated by photographs which are listed in figure 1 (A-F) and figure 2 (A-E). Table 1 reveals different influence of extraction on microorganisms due to different concentration of this extract. The phenolic extract is strongly inhibit the growth of many types of bacteria above the concentration 500 mg/ml . The growth of K. pneumonia is inhibited with less concentration (200 mg/ml). In constant, the growth of B. subtilis and E.coli is less inhibited even with high concentration. Fungi showed different ability of resistant against extract C albicans is the more effected microbe by the extract even with lower concentration. A. niger and A. flavus showed low inhibition by the extract, but the extract has no effect on growth of A. fumigatus and A. terreus only when concentration increased to 2000 mg/ml (the result not show in the table).

Table.1 Mean of diameter of the inhibition zones induced by phenolic extract on microorganisms used in this study

Concentration of phenolic
extraction
(mg/ml)

Microorganism

200

300

400

500

600

800

1000

DIZ
(mm)

Gram positive
Bacillus subtilis
Staphylococcus epidermis
Streptococcus sp.

2
2
3

2
3
3

5
9
2

8
9
13

9
10
14

9
13
14

-
15
15

Gram negative
Escherichia coli
Klebsiella pneumonia
Pseudomonas aeruginosa

3
10
2

4
10
3

4
10
5

5
10
8

9
15
10

9
15
13

-
15
13

Fungi
Candida albicans
Aspergillus niger
Aspergillus flavus
Aspergillus fumigatus
Aspergillus terreus

10
2
2
-
-

13
2
3
-
-

15
3
4
-
-

17
3
4
-
-

18
4
5
-
-

18
5
6
-
-

20
6
7
-
-