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Antibacterial Properties of Helianthemum glomeratum , a Plant Used in Maya Traditional Medicine to Treat Diarrhoea
Author(s) -
Meckes M.,
Torres J.,
Calzada F.,
Rivera J.,
Camorlinga M.,
Lemus H.,
Rodríguez G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1573(199703)11:2<128::aid-ptr55>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - vibrio cholerae , shigella , shigella sonnei , antidiarrhoeal , antimicrobial , antibacterial activity , microbiology and biotechnology , shigellosis , biology , salmonella , traditional medicine , shigella dysenteriae , dysentery , escherichia coli , medicine , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , gene , castor oil
Ethnobotanical studies indicate that Helianthemum glomeratum is a plant widely used in Maya communities to treat diarrhoeas. A possible mechanism to counteract infectious diarrhoea would be by inhibiting the growth of the enteropathogen causing the disease. The aim of this work was to study the antimicrobial activity of H. glomeratum against bacterial enteropathogens isolated from faeces of children with acute diarrhoea or dysentery. A methanol extract obtained from the leaves and stems was highly active against Shigella spp and Vibrio cholerae ; activity against Salmonella spp and Escherichia coli isolates was also present. Acetone/water extract from the roots was also highly active against Shigella and Vibrio isolates. Further chemical fractionation indicated that antibacterial activity was associated with the polyphenolic fraction. Shigella spp causes severe dysentery in children and Vibrio cholerae causes severe watery diarrhoea. Antidiarrhoeal activity of H. glomeratum may be due, at least in part, to the antimicrobial activity of polyphenolics against bacterial enteropathogens commonly associated with the disease. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.