Background: In effort to identify novel bacterial agents, this study was initiated to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of 17 crude extracts from 12 medicinal plants against beta-lactam-resistant bacteria. Methodology: The antimicrobial activities of plant extracts were evaluated against clinically proved beta-lactam-resistant bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus sp.) and reference strains of bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 35218, Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 29751, E. aerogenes ATCC 13048, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790) by using disc-diffusion and agar-dilution assays. Results: The crude plant extracts demonstrated broad spectrum activity against all bacteria tested with inhibition zones in the range of 8-30 mm. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of different plant extracts against the tested bacteria were found to range from ≤ 0.3 to ≥ 10 mg ml -1 . The most active plant extracts were from Dortenia picta and Bridelia micrantha (MIC: 1.25-10 mg ml -1 ) on beta-lactamresistant Gram-negative bacilli and the extracts from B. micrantha, Mallotus oppositifolius, Garcinia lucida, Garcinia. kola, Campylospermum densiflorum (leaves) and C. zenkeri (root) on beta-lactam-resistant Gram-positive cocci (MIC: ≤ 0.3-5 mg ml -1 ). Conclusion: Of the 17 plant extracts studied, seven showed good antimicrobial activity against the tested bacteria. The stem bark of B. micrantha and the leaves of D. picta were most active towards beta-lactamase producing Gram-negative bacilli. This study shows that medicinal plants could be sources of compounds which can be used to fight against beta-lactam resistant bacteria.

No abstract

A series of new thienylazothiophenes were prepared by coupling reactions of diazotized thienocoumarins with their corresponding free amines. The structures of the products 3-7 were assigned on the basis of their elemental and spectroscopic data. The HMBC and HSQC techniques were used in some cases to ascertain the structural assignments. The antimicrobial screenings of compounds 3-7 along with substituted 2-aminothiophenes 1a,b were performed against three bacteria and three fungal species and their activities compared to those of nystatin, gentamycin and ciprofloxacin used as reference drugs. It was found that the antimicrobial activities of the tested new hybrid compounds were in some cases equal or better than those of the reference drugs.