Research Regarding the Antimicrobial Activity of Plant Extracts

Abstract

The investigations regarding the use of plant extracts for their antimicrobial activity is becoming more intense nowadays. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of several plant extracts in order to provide a better understanding of the essential role of the use of plant natural compounds as a primary source of antimicrobial products. Hydroalcoholic extracts of five medicinal plants were tested for their antimicrobial activity against Pythium sp. The plants considered for study were marigold (Tagetes patula), horsetail (Equisetum arvense), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), burdock (Arctium lappa) and liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). The plant materials used for extractions were obtained from healthy dried plants collected from natural populations on non-polluted lands. The experiments demonstrated that plants possess strong antimicrobial activity and that plant based products can be effective in controlling microbial growth inhibition. Plant extracts may potentially control the growth and development of pathogenic microorganisms thus representing an alternative in plant protection management and human and veterinary medicine also.