ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF SOME

PLANTS EXTRACTS AGAINST PROTEUS

MIRABILIS BACTERIA

Rawaa M. Mohammed

Ph.D. Microbilogy, Department of Medical physics, Al-Mustaqbal University

College, Iraq

rawaamagid@Mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

Nidaa F. Aziz

M.Sc. Virology, Department of Medical physics, Al-Mustaqbal University College,

Iraq

nidaa.fadhil@Mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

Reception: 13/11/2022 Acceptance: 10/01/2023 Publication: 08/02/2023

Suggested citation:

M. M., Rawaa and F. A., Nidaa. (2023). Antibacterial activity of some plants

extracts against proteus mirabilis bacteria. 3C Empresa. Investigación y

pensamiento crítico, 12(1), 301-309. https://doi.org/

10.17993/3cemp.2023.120151.301-309

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ABSTRACT

Background

: Medicinal plants are being looked at as potential new sources of

medicines that could replace antibiotics in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant

bacteria. The aim of this study is to measure the effect of plant extracts on Proteus

mirabilis growth to determine the antibacterial activity of them .

Methods: Experimental, in vitro, of Al-Mustaqabal University Collage, The effects of

four plant extracts on Proteus mirabilis were assessed. At a concentration of 10%, the

activity was assessed using the well diffusion method.

Result: Four aqueous plant extracts were tested for antibacterial activity (Peganum

harmala, Piper nigrum, Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum) has

been evaluated against Proteus mirabilis (Isolated from urinary tract infection). The

concentration was used for each type of extract 10mg\ml. In this concentration, the

aqueous extract was effective against Proteus mirabilis with inhibition zones of 18

mm, 15 mm and 14 mm respectively, and extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum

shown no inhibition zone.

Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Peganum harmala against Proteus mirabilis,

showed the highest inhibition of 18mm with the concentration 10%. Whereas,

aqueous extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum has no antibacterial activity against

Proteus mirabilis.

KEYWORDS

Medicinal plant, Proteus mirabilis, antibacterial activity, aqueous extract

PAPER INDEX

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1. EXTRACT PREPARATION

2.2. ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

2.3. ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY MEASUREMENT (AGAR WELL

DIFFUSION METHOD)

3. RESULT AND DISSCUSSION

4. CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

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1. INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the world has turned its attention to the study of medicinal plants,

many of which have been found to have inhibitory effect against pathogens. They

have been used in the treatment of many diseases, since they contain effective

compounds that are inhibitory and free from side effects compared with the drugs

used which have side effects on health with increased resistance towards it by time.

This has called for urgent and continuous need to search for new antimicrobials as a

result of increase in disease cases. The other reason is increasing resistance to

antibiotics and on a continuous basis (1).

Medicinal plants contain various types of natural active substances used in

traditional medicine (alternative medicine) to treat diseases around the world, the

efficiency of these medicinal plants or their extracts varies depending on the method

of extraction, the type of extraction solvent employed and the microscopic organism

(2).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 20,000 species

of all recognized medicinal plants utilized worldwide (3).

Some of the chemicals derived from these plants have proven to be an effective

preventive medicine and have even been utilized to treat difficult illnesses like cancer

(4). The critical necessities to use medicinal plants do not involving severe feature

control concerning to safety and efficiency compared to the other drug types ( 5 ).

Aim of study: The goal of this study was to see how effective aqueous plant

extracts were at killing bacteria (Peganum harmala, Piper nigrum, Proteus mirabilis is

fought using Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

The following instruments, as indicated in the table, were utilized in this study table

Table 1. Instruments, their manufacturer companies and its origins.

No.

Instruments

Manufacturer company and Origin

1 Centrifuge tube NURE /turkey

Incubator

Biomerieux/USA

3 Autoclave Hirayama/japan

oven

Biomerieux/USA

5 Sensitive balance Precia/swesra

Petri dish

Al-hanoof/jordon

7 Loop Al-rawan/china

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Chemicals and Biological Materials: The table below lists the chemicals and

biological materials utilized in this study table 2.

Table 2. The chemicals and biological materials as well as their suppliers and origin.

Samples: The plant materials were obtained from a local market in Babylon

Province, and included:

Table 3. Scientific name of plant

The plant material was washed in distilled water and dried at room temperature in

the shade. The plant material has been processed in a mill to produce fine powders

after most of the moisture has been removed (6).

Study design (7)

All plants were convert to fine powder

5 gm of plant powder

50 ml D.W

Concentrated the extract by using an oven at 40 c o

1g\ 10ml of each plant extract against Proteus mirabilis

By the well diffusion method 50µ

2.1. EXTRACT PREPARATION

We prepared the plant extracts of (Peganum harmala, Piper nigrum, Syzygium

aromaticum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum) according (8) and (9), that include the

following : All plants were convert to fine powder and freshly prepared at the day of

No.

Name of material

Supplier / Origin

1 Muller Hinton agar Oxoid /united kingdom

Nutrient agar

Oxoid /united kingdom

Scientiﬁc name of plant

Peganum harmala

(Harmal)

Piper nigrum

(Black pepper)

Syzygium aromaticum

(Clove)

Cinnamomum zeylanicum

 (Cinnamon)

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experiment using distilled water . In this method, the dried powder plants (5g) were

soaked 50 milliliters distilled water. The solvent was evaporated by using an oven at

40 c o and then stored the dry powder in the refrigerator for further use to test the

effectiveness against the bacteria used in the experiment.

2.2. ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

The antibacterial activities of the plant extracts (Peganum harmala, Piper nigrum,

Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum ) The well diffusion method was

used to test Muller-Hinton plats. The medium was sterilized in an autoclave at 121oC

(1.5 psi/inch 2) for 15 minutes, following the manufacturer's recommendations. 50 uL

of the plant extract was poured into wells cut into the agar. The plates were then

incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. The diameter of the inhibitory zone was used to

assess antibacterial activity(10)and(11).

2.3. ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY MEASUREMENT (AGAR WELL

DIFFUSION METHOD)

Muller Hinton agar plates were prepared and infected with test organisms by using

a sterile brush to disseminate the bacterial inoculum on the surface of the media.

Wells were punched in the agar by using Cork borer . Extracts with concentrations

(10 mg/ml) were added. The plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37°C (12). The

antibacterial activity was measured in millimeters by measuring the diameter of the

inhibitory zone.

3. RESULT AND DISSCUSSION

Results of antibacterial activity of four aqueous plant extracts (Peganum harmala,

Piper nigrum, Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum) against Proteus

mirabilis (Isolated from urinary tract infection).

Table 4. The activity of aqueous extracts against Proteus mirabilis

Name of plant

Inhibition zone of diameter

Peganum harmala

18 mm

Piper nigrum 15 mm

Syzygium aromaticum

14 mm

Cinnamomum zeylanicum No inhibition zone

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Figure 1. Inhibition zones of Proteus mirabilis growth on Mueller-Hinton agar produced by

(1) black pepper (2) Cinnamon (3) clove (4) harmalcontained extract concentrations (10 mg/

ml), whereas the central well contained 50 µl.

These results in table(1) revealed that this bacteria was sensitive to the

concentrations of 10% in aqueous extract of harmal (Peganum harmala) with

inhibition zone 18 mm, that agree with (13) ,which revealed the highest effect on

bacterial growth since the hot extract reduced growth of most of bacterial isolates

(Proteus mirabilis).(14), which obtained good antibacterial activity in harmal and

pomegranate against Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella using aqueous extract.

Figure 2. Inhibition zones of Proteus mirabilis growth produced by harmal contained

extract concentrations (10 mg/ml), whereas the central well contained 50 µl.

And aqueous extract of black pepper (Piper nigrum) showed in Table1 that

antibicrobial activity

against Proteus mirabilis with inhibition zone 15 mm, that agree with (15), reported

the antibacterial

effect of piperine against Proteus mirabilis with inhibition zone (8mm). Also with

(16), which he mentioned that black pepper (aqueous decoction) showed strongest

antibacterial activity and in research against different bacterial isolates from oral cavity

of two hundred individual volunteers.

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Figure 3. Inhibition zones of Proteus mirabilis growth produced by black pepper contained

extract concentrations (10 mg/ml), whereas the central well contained 50 µl.

Our results of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) revealed antibacterial activity against

Proteus mirabilis with inhibition zone 14 mm, that agree with, (17) which reported the

result of antibacterial susceptibility to S.aromatic The average diameter zone of

inhibition for S.aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and P.aeruginosa in aqueous extract was

31mm, 8mm, and 14.33mm, respectively. (18), provided additional support for these

findings.

Figure 4. Inhibition zones of Proteus mirabilis growth produced by clove contained extract

concentrations (10 mg/ml), whereas the central well contained 50 µl.

While Escherichia coli showed resistance against aqueous concentration extract of

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) as showed in table (1).

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Figure 5. Inhibition zones of Proteus mirabilis growth produced by Cinnamon contained

extract concentrations (10 mg/ml), whereas the central well contained 50 µl.

4. CONCLUSIONS

1. Plant extracts have a complicated structure, with active components in the form

of natural organic compounds.

2. The solubility of a component in the solvent determines the extraction method for

that substance (water or organic solvent).

3. The extracts of the plants studied showed promising antibacterial properties. The

prospect of developing antimicrobial chemicals from higher plants appears

promising, as it could lead to the development of a phytomedicine that can combat

multidrug-resistant bacteria.

The aqueous extract of Peganum harmala displayed the greatest inhibition of

18mm against Proteus mirabilis at a concentration of 10%. Cinnamomum

zeylanicum aqueous extract, on the other hand, displays no antibacterial action

against Proteus mirabilis.

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