Abstract
With the use of extracts of three kinds of plants (Lycoris radiata, Narcissus tazetta, and Allium sativum) diluted with neutral bouillon the author studied antagonistic action of various strains of bacteria to the dose of 0.1 mg of these extracts and obtained the following results: Namely, the extracts of Lycoris radiata and Narcissus tazetta did not show any inhibitory action on the growth of bacteria while the extract of Allium sativum demonstrated very strong inhibitory effect.
1. The extract of Allium sativum at the concentration of 1-5 mg/ml showed an inhibitory action on the growth of susceptible bacteria; 6 strains of Staph. aureus, 3 strains of Candida albicans, 5 strains of E. coli, 3 of Proteus and one of Sh. flexneri, to the total of 18 strains, and the extract at the concentration of 10-50 mg/ml showed a complete inhibitory effect on the growth of 6 strains of Ps. aeruginosa.
2. It was also recognized that 16 strains of Staph. aureus exposed to 1, 000 μ/ml of PC and 10, 000 γ/ml of SM and 3 strains of E. coli exposed to 1, 000γ/ml of SM, the total of 19 strains of resistant bacteria, revealed inhibitory effect on the growth the same as in the case of susceptible strains.
3. In the experiments conducted to see whether or not a reinforced inhibitory effect could be attained with the mixture of the extract of Allium sativum combined with phenol, there could be observed no such reinforced effect on the growth.
As can be seen from these findings, some plant extracts do possess inhibitory action on the growth of certain strains of bacteria and it is an interesting problem which requires further studies.
