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For several decades, there has been an increased interest in the antimicrobial activities of different extracts obtained from traditional medicinal plants. There are more than 20,000 species of plants used in traditional medicines. Drugs can be derived from natural products, which are usually secondary metabolites and their derivatives. The increased prevalence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria emerging from the extensive use of antibiotics may render the current antimicrobial agents insufficient to control at least some bacterial infections. Therefore, the search for new antimicrobial agents is an important line of research.The objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activities of plant extracts from Sassafras albidum, Ehretia anacua, Melissa officinalis, Eysenhardtia texana, and Melissa odorata. The ethanol and aqueous extracts were prepared for each of the five plant species and tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To test the antimicrobial activity, the disk diffusion method was performed using streptomycin as a positive control. Zone of inhibitions were measured using a vernier caliper. Results showed an antimicrobial potential for the Ehretia anacua (family: Boraginaceae) ethanol extract against Staphylococcus aureus; therefore, it was tested for more antibacterial and antifungal activities, using acetone, ethanol, and diethyl ether extracts. Ehretia anacua was also subjected to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis to determine the exact constituents exhibiting these biological activities.

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