Antibacterial activity of Elaeagnus umbellata (Thunb.) a medicinal plant from Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the biological activity of Elaeagnus umbellata extracts on standard microorganism strains as well as multi-drug resistant bacteria isolated from hospitals.

METHODS: We carried out this study at the Plant Pathology Laboratory of the University College of Agriculture, Rawalakot Pakistan during the period between September-November 2004. Flowers, leaves, and berries of the plant were extracted in different solvents and tested for their antibacterial activity by disc diffusion method on selected organisms like methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (E. coli).

RESULTS: The ether extract of flower was found to be highly effective against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). The alcohol extract of these leaves also demonstrated strong activity against gram positive and negative bacteria. The aqueous extract from the berry strongly inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus whereas, it exhibited a very small zone of inhibition against B. subtilis. Multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa was found completely resistant to aqueous extract. The acetone extract of the berry showed good activity against P. aeruginosa.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study reports the antibacterial activity of Elaeagnus umbellata. Most of the extracts displayed broad-spectrum activity, since gram positive bacteria including S. aureus, B. subtilis and gram-negative bacteria including E. coli and P. aeruginosa were inhibited. These preliminary findings may provide the basis for traditional use of this plant in the treatment of infectious diseases.