Screening of Antibacterial, Antifungal and Antiviral Properties of the Selected Turkish Helichrysum Species

Various Helichrysum species have been widely used as folk remedy in Turkish folk medicine for diuretic, and anti-asthmatic properties as well as against kidney stones, stomache as decoction. Besides, the powder of capitulums have been also used like pomade, prepared by mixing with barley flour, for wound healing (1–3). In the present study, Fourteen extracts prepared with hot water and ethanol (80%) from the capitulums obtained from seven Helichrysum species including H. armenium ssp. araxinum (Takht. ex Kirp.) Tahkt, H. armenium ssp. armenium DC, H. arenarium (L.) DC, H. pallasii (Spreng.) Ledeb., H. stoechas (L.) Moench, H. sanguineum, and H. graveolens (Bieb.) Sweet (Compositae) growing in Turkey were screened for their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity against both standard and the isolated strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacer baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis by microdilution method. Both Herpes simplex (HSV) (DNA) and Para-influenza-3 (PI-3) viruses (RNA) were used for the determination of antiviral activity of the water and ethanol extracts of Helichrysum species by using MDBK and Vero cell line. Ampicilline, levofloxacin, ofloxocin, ketoconazole, fluconazole, acyclovir and oseltamivir were used as the control agents. The same degree of inhibitory effect has been observed on Gram (-) bacteria. All the extracts have shown more potent effect against Gram (+) bacteria than Gram (-) ones. Moreover, all the extracts screened have exerted a better inhibitory effect towards ATCC strains than the isolates. In particular, all of the ethanolic extracts were found to have a very significant inhibition against ATCC strain of S.aureus with MIC value of 8µg/mL. Ethanolic extracts of H. arenarium and H. armenium ssp. armenium showed antiviral action against both HSV and PI-3, whereas the rest was completely inactive with the related activity.

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