| Author(s) | All A. Salamah* and AIi M.A. Zaid |
| Affiliation | Department of Botany and Microbiology. College of Science. King Saud University. P.D. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451. Saudi Arabia |
| Title | Antibacterial Activity of Commiphora quadricincta from Saudi Arabia |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Science. Volume 12, No 1. (2000/1420) |
| Abstract | Commiphora quadricincta (Schweinf ex. Engl.) has a resin-gum that is widely used as a folk medicine in Saudi Arabia. Extracts of the resin-gum, leaves and roots have been studied for their antibacterial activity. The results clearly show that the toluene-methanol extract of the leaves and roots has antibacterial activity against Yersinia enterocolitica and Staphylococcus epidermidis, whereas the toluene-methanol extract of the resin gum has activity against Escherichia coli. The antibacterial activity of the resin gum is dependent upon the solvent used. Petroleum ether is the best solvent followed by alcohols (ethanol and methanol, respectively). The petroleum ether extract of the resin-gum has activity against three out of four of the species studied namely, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and E. coli. The ethanol extract has antibacterial activity against Y. enterocolitica and S. epidermidis and the methanol extract has activity against E. coli and S. epidermidis. Diethyl ether has an activity pattern similar to ethanol, but it was less potent. Benzene and chlorofo~ extracts have similar activity against E. coli only. The water extract of resin-gum had an inhibitory influence both in vitro and in vivo against bacterial viability. Key Words: Antibacterial, Activity, Commiphora. Quadricincta. |
