Antimicrobial activity of Rhipsalis baccifera and Drymoglossum piloselloides against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and Drug Resistant Acinetobacter baumanii.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) andmultidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii are known to causedelayed healing of infections in both acute and chronic wounds. Plantsare a natural source of novel antimicrobials and many new drugs arederived from plants, as plants contain phytochemicals that haveantimicrobial activity. Sri Lanka is a tropical country with a widevariety of plant species, many of which were identified as possessingmedicinal qualities and have been used by traditional medicinalpractitioners in the treatment of various diseases and ailments.Dressings made of Rhipsalis baccifera and Drymoglossumpiloselloides have been used to treat wounds by Sri Lankan traditionalmedicine practitioners. This study determined the antibacterial activityof aqueous and methanol extracts of R. baccifera and D. piloselloidesagainst MRSA and Multidrug-resistant A. baumanii. Aqueous andmethanolic extractions of both plants were done by maceration. Theirantibacterial properties were checked against MRSA and A. baumaniiby the well diffusion method. The effectiveness of the extract wasfurther tested against factors like temperature and storage time.R. baccifera (aqueous extract) exhibited antimicrobial propertiesagainst MRSA but no activity against A. baumanii. The antibioticactivity against MRSA was increased after two months of storage at4°C. D. piloselloides exhibited no antibiotic activity against bothMRSA and A. baumanii. The methanolic extracts did not demonstrateany antibacterial activity.