Abstract

The study was aimed at determining the antimicrobial activities of crude ethanolic extract of Al-Museiab propolis (EEMP) against some bacterial and fungal isolates by the method of disc diffusion and agar-well diffusion, respectively. MICs of propolis extracts using the two-fold agar dilution susceptibility method were also determined. Results revealed thatStaphylococcus aureus was highly sensitive to EEMP than other Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, while standard Escherichia coli strain was highly sensitive to EEMP than other Gram negative bacteria. The effect of EEMP was elevated when the concentration increased to 20 and 30%. EEMP was not effective against Candida albicans. Results of disc diffusion methods of crude EEMP at 10% concentration showed that S. aureus was highly sensitive to EEMP inhibition while C. albicans was resistant. Statistical analysis showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between results of disc and agar diffusion methods of EEP at concentration of 10%, while there was no significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) at concentrations of 20 and 30% of extract, respectively. This study concluded that EEP was the most active of all propolis extracts, S. aureus was more sensitive to EEP and AEP than other bacteria, and agar diffusion method was better than disc diffusion method for detection of antimicrobial activity of propolis.

Key words: Propolis, antibacterial, antifungal, Iraq.