Antimicrobial activity of Melampyrum cristatum, Melampyrum bihariense and Melampyrum arvense tinctures

The infections with bacteria and fungi resistant to existing chemotherapeutic drug have become a serious problem in the whole world, which leads to the continuous need to develop new antimicrobial agents. The plants extracts may represent future solutions against these pathogens. The purpose of this study was to determine the antibacterial and antifungal activity of Melampyrum cristatum, Melampyrum arvense and Melampyrum bihariense tinctures by using the diffusion and the dilution methods. The three tinctures inhibited the growth ofStaphylococcus aureus up to a dilution of 1/8, and Escherichia coli up to a dilution of 1/4. The tinctures of M. cristatum and M. arvense inhibited the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa up to a dilution of 1/4, while the tincture of M. bihariense up to a dilution of 1/8. Of the three tinctures, the tincture of M. cristatum showed the best antifungal action, inhibiting the development of Candida albicans up to a dilution of 1/8.   Key words: Tinctures of Melampyrum, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity.