Inhibition of Clostridium difficile by natural herbal extracts

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• 作者：Khalid M. Aljarallah ; PhD ; ^{K.aljarallah@mu.edu.sa" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author}
• 关键词：Antimicrobial activity ; Black seed ; Clostridium difficile ; Myrrh
• 刊名：Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：October 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：11
• 期：5
• 页码：427-431
• 全文大小：1115 K

文摘

Clostridium difficile is a causative agent of nosocomial diarrhoea worldwide including KSA. Antibiotic treatment of C. difficile infections has been associated with infection recurrence after cessation of treatment. This study sought to use natural preparations of Nigella sativa seeds (black seed) and Commiphora myrrha (Myrrh) to inhibit the growth of C. difficile.

Methods

Black seed oil and water extract and Myrrh water extract were examined for their antibacterial activity against two strains of C. difficile and four other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria using the agar diffusion technique. The antibacterial effects of these herbal preparations were also characterized under neutral and acidic pH values.

Results

Black seed oil (2%) and Myrrh water extract were found to inhibit the growth of C. difficile strains. Black seed oil (2%) could also inhibit other pathogens including Bacillus cereus and Vibrio cholera. The antibacterial activity of black seed oil (2%) and Myrrh water extract was not affected by varying the pH from 4.5 to 7.0. These herbal preparations also maintained their activity against pathogens at a very lower pH of 1.5 (the average stomach pH).

Conclusions

This study presents black seed oil (2%) and Myrrh water extract as effective natural antibacterial agents for inhibiting C. difficile growth for the treatment of human infections and in food preservation applications.