Antibacterial activity of some Serbian aromatic plants in relation to selected phytopathogenic bacteria

Water, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of 24 Serbian aromatic plants were screened for antibacterial activities against selected phytopathogenic bacteria. The following plants were tested: Achillea millefolium, Artemisia absinthium, Calendula officinalis, Centaurea cyanus, Cichorium intybus, Eupatorium cannabinum, Helichrysum arenarium, Inula helenium, Lavandula officinalis, Matricaria chamomilla, Melissa officinalis, Mentha piperita, Mentha pulegium, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum vulgare, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Satureia montana, Solidago virga-aurea, Taraxacum officinale, Teucrium montanum, Tussilago farfara, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus vulgaris. Overground parts of plants were tested (Cichorium intybus overground part and root). The antibacterial activities were tested by filter disc diffusion method in relation to the following bacterial species: Agrobacterium radiobacter pv. tumefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Erwinia carotovora, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Sarcina lutea and Staphylococcus aureus. All the aromatic plants investigated showed antimicrobial activities against selected phytopathogenic bacteria tested. 22 of the 24 species examined showed antibacterial activities. The most active were water and ethanol extracts of Achillea millefolium especially in relation to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ethanol extracts of Helichrysym arenarium, Melissa officinalis and ethyl acetate extracts of Salvia officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis also showed significant antibacterial properties in relation to almost all tested bacterial species. The most sensitive bacteria were Agrobacterium radiobacter pv. tumefaciens and Erwinia carotovora. The most resistant bacterial species was Escherichia coli which was significantly inhibited by ethanol extracts of Inula helenium, Calendula officinalis, Cichorium intybus(root) and ethyl acetate extracts of Inula helenium, Cichorium intybus(root) and Centaurea cyanus. These results are encouraging and indicate potential use of plant extracts in the control of selected phytopathogenic bacteria.

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