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Bioactivity of Iranian medicinal plants against Yersinia enterocolitica

Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti (Department of Medicinal Plants, Researches Centre of Medicinal Plants & Ethnoveterinary, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran)
Arian Asadpoor (Department of Medicinal Plants, Researches Centre of Medicinal Plants & Ethnoveterinary, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran)
Behzad Hamedi (Department of Medicinal Plants, Researches Centre of Medicinal Plants & Ethnoveterinary, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran)
Ahmad Reza Golparvar (Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Islamic Azad University – Khorasgan Branch, Isfahan, Iran)

Nutrition & Food Science

ISSN: 0034-6659

Article publication date: 14 September 2010

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Abstract

Purpose

Plant materials continue to play a major role in primary health care as therapeutic remedies in many developing countries. Medicinal herbs contain physiologically active principles that over the years have been exploited in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments as they contain antimicrobial properties. This paper aims to determine the antibacterial activity of Iranian endemic plants.

Design/methodology/approach

Antibacterial activities of ethanol extract and essential oil of ten Iranian folklore herbs including Heracleum lasiopetalum Boiss., Hypericum scabrum L., Thymus daenensis Celak., Ziziphora teniur L., Echiophora platyloba L., Dracocephalum multicaule Benth., Kelussia odoratissima Mozff., Mentha longifolia Hudson., Achillea kellalensis Boiss. and Arnebia euchroma (Royle.) Johnston. were investigated against Yersinia enterocolitica PTCC 1151 by agar disc diffusion and serial dilution assays.

Findings

Most of the extracts and essential oils showed some antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria with the diameter of inhibition zone ranging between 9 and 16 mm. Of the plants studied, the most active extracts were those obtained from essential oil of H. lasiopetalum fruits and ethanol extract of A. euchroma roots. The MIC values for active extract and essential oil ranged between 0.039 and 0.156 mg/ml.

Practical implications

The results obtained appeared to confirm the antibacterial potential of the plants investigated.

Originality/value

The essential oil <0.039 mg/ml of H. lasiopetalum fruits could be used as natural antibacterial agent Y. enterocolitica in the food preservation and human health.

Keywords

Citation

Ghasemi Pirbalouti, A., Asadpoor, A., Hamedi, B. and Reza Golparvar, A. (2010), "Bioactivity of Iranian medicinal plants against Yersinia enterocolitica", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 40 No. 5, pp. 515-522. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346651011077027

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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