Antibacterial effects of alcoholic extracts of different parts of Mentha longifolia and Ziziphora tenuior

Mentha species are grown in most parts of Iran and have a wide range of pharmacotherapeutic uses such as treatment for bronchitis, colds and cough. In this survey ethanolic extracts of different parts (stem, flower and root) of two species (Mentha longifolia and Ziziphora tenuior) with the concentration of 100mg/ml were used against two species of Bacillaceae bacteria (B.subtillis and B.cereus) and one fungus Alternaria alternaata, with the use of three methods, 1) well method 2) dilution in solid media 3) dilution in broth media.

These tests showed that all the extracts of different parts had antibacterial effects. The well method showed that the root extract of Ziziphora with the inhibitory zone of 17mm was most effective on both bacteria and stem extracts of Mentha with an inhibitory zone of 15mm on B. cereus had the least antibacterial effect. The other two methods showed the same results. As no growth of fungi on the media with extracts of different parts of the two plant species was observed fungicide effects of the extracts were proved too. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 80% ethanolic extracts against B. subtilis was 50mg/ml.

Acknowledgment: Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branbch.

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