Antibacterial Activity of Different Extracts of Clidemia hirta (L.) D. Don leaves

Clidemia hirta (L.) D. Don (Melastomataceae), locally known as „senduduk bulu“ by a local tribe in Malaysia, has been used traditionally to stop bleeding [1] and in the treatment of venom fever [2]. The use of this species as traditional medicine for several bacterial infections has also been recorded in several references [3, 4]. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial properties of this species and determine its MIC towards several bacteria, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Several extracts has chosen by extracting (cold extraction) the leaves with different polarity of solvents such as hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol, respectively. The initial antibacterial property identification was done by using disk diffusion method. The active extract was further investigated for its mechanism and MIC's value by dilution technique. Only the hexane extract was not showing any antibacterial property against selected bacteria. Meanwhile, none of these extracts showed activity against E. coli. Interestingly, bactericide activity was exerted against P. aeruginosa by ethyl acetate extract (MIC 0.625%), followed by its bacteriostatic activity against E. faecalis (MIC 0.625%). Conversely, the methanol extract showed bacteriostatic activity against P. aeruginosa (MIC 1.25%) and bactericide activity against E. faecalis (MIC 1.25%).

Keywords: Clidemia hirta, Melastomataceae, antibacterial

References: 1. Musa N (2007) The Forgotten Jungle Medicine of Taman Negara Pahang. Malaysian Pharmaceutical Association. Penang.

2. Kamarudin MS, Latiff A (2002) Tumbuhan Ubatan Malaysia. Pusat Pengurusan Penyelidikan UKM. Bangi.

3. Franca F Lago EL, Marsden PD (1996) Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 29: 229–232.

4. McClatchey W (1996)J Ethnopharmacology 50: 147–156.