Background: Extraction by conventional methods such as Soxhlet requires a long time and the possibility of damage to heat-sensitive compounds. Objectives: In this study, modern ultrasound methods used to perform and investigate the antibacterial properties of plant extracts were compared. Methods: The extracts of Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Withania somnifera were prepared by an ultrasound device. Ten Escherichia coli strains were isolated from poultry stool samples. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) plant extracts against E. coli were determined using the microdilution method. Results: The results showed that the lowest inhibitory concentrations of rosemary, peppermint, and wind cheese extracts prepared by ultrasound were equal to 3.1 mg/mL, while the highest inhibitory concentrations of these extracts were equal to 25, 25, and 50 mg/mL, respectively. The lowest lethal concentrations of rosemary, peppermint, and wind cheese extracts were 6.25 mg/mL, while the highest inhibitory concentrations of these extracts were 25, 25, and 50 mg/mL, respectively. The lowest bactericidal concentrations of rosemary, peppermint, and wind cheese extracts prepared by ultrasonic waves were equal to 6.25 mg/mL, while the highest lethal concentrations of these extracts were equal to 50, 25, and 100 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusions: According to the findings of the study, it can be concluded that the use of ultrasonic waves is a fast, effective, and economical method for extracting plant components. In addition, the methanolic extract of peppermint has the most inhibitory and lethal properties.

Background: Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacilli) inflicts large economic losses on the poultry industry and is one of the most important causes of poultry diseases. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has contributed to today’s increasing prevalence of drug-resistant strains, which their emergence appears to exceed the discovery of new drugs. Therefore, several attempts have been dedicated to find new compounds as effective alternatives to antibiotics. Medicinal plants constitute a rich source for various antimicrobial compounds. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance trend of the E. coli strains isolated from Quail feces samples and to investigate the antimicrobial effects of Eshvarak extract against these strains. Methods: Eshvarak plant was collected from Saravan (Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran) and identified in the botany laboratory of Zabol University. E. coli samples were isolated from poultry feces. Various solvents (methanol (100%), ethanol (100%), water (100%), hydro-alcohol (70%), and ethyl-acetate (100%)) were used to prepare Eshvarak extract. Inhibitory zone diameter was determined in an agar-based medium using a standard procedure. The MIC and MBC of prepared extracts were determined by the micro-dilution method. Results: The lowest MIC values were obtained for the methanolic (12.5 ppm), ethanolic (12.5 ppm), aqueous (12.5 ppm), hydroalcoholic (25 ppm), and ethyl-acetate (12.5 ppm) Eshvarak extracts. The highest inhibitory zone diameters against E. coli were recorded at the 100-ppm concentration of the methanolic (8 mm), ethanolic (7 mm), aqueous (8 mm), hydroalcoholic (10 mm), and ethyl-acetate (5 mm) Eshvarak extracts. Conclusions: Eshvarak extract, particularly in the hydroalcoholic solvent, inhibited the growth of E. coli. However, the antimicrobial properties of plant extracts seem to be independent of the extraction method or the type of solvent.

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Today, opportunistic fungi, especially Candida albicans, are among the most common risk factors in patients with weakened immune systems. Fungal infections caused by Candida species and increasing number of azole-resistant strains are of great importance in immunocompromised patients. The toxicity of the drugs used, the development of resistance to these fungi, and the problems caused by drug interactions necessitate the use of more effective drugs with less toxicity. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of medicinal plant extracts on C. albicans. In this review study, Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, SID, and Magiran databases were searched between 2000 and 2019 to identify related articles. The search keywords were "Candida albicans", "Complementary", "Herbal medicine" and their Persian equivalents. All in vivo and in vitro trials were included in the study. The reviewed studies showed the effectiveness of some compounds in inhibiting the growth of C. albicans. The results of the present research were in invitro conditions, but they need to be conducted in-vivo for human use.