Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3843

Full Length Research Paper

Antimicrobial activity of native and naturalized plants of Minnesota and Wisconsin

Joy R. Borchardt1, Donald L. Wyse1, Craig C. Sheaffer1, Kendra L. Kauppi2,R. Gary Fulcher3 Nancy J. Ehlke1, David D. Biesboer4 and Russell F. Bey2    
1Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, 411 Borlaug Hall, St. Paul MN  55108-6026. 2Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, 205 Veterinary Science, St. Paul, MN  55108-6187. 3Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2. 4Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, 250 Biological Science Center, St. Paul, MN  55108-6022.      
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 08 February 2008
  •  Published: 31 May 2008

Abstract

The antimicrobial activity of aqueous ethanol extracts of stems, leaves, flowers and roots from 336 native and naturalized species (597 extracts) collected in Minnesota and Wisconsin was tested against Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Twenty-four percent, or 142 extracts, exhibited antimicrobial activity. Extracts from Betula papyrifera Marshall (Betulaceae), Centaurea maculosa Lam. (Asteraceae),Epilobium angustifolium L. (Onagraceae), Hypericum perforatum L. (Clusiaceae),Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae), and Rhus glabra L. (Anacardiaceae) inhibited all four microorganisms. Extracts from two species inhibited three microorganisms, 11 extracts (10 species) inhibited two, and 119 extracts (98 species) inhibited one microorganism with four species having inhibition zones greater than 15 mm. This is the first report describing the antimicrobial activity ofClintonia sp. (Liliaceae), Comptonia peregrina (L.) J.M. Coult. (Myricaceae),Desmodium illinoense A. Gray (Fabaceae), Geum virginianum L. (Rosaceae), leaves of Scirpus americanus Pers. (Cyperaceae), flower clusters of Eupatorium maculatum L. (Asteraceae), berries of Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf (false Solomon’s seal) and frozen Hypericum perforatum L. (Clusiaceae).

 

Key words:  Antimicrobial, medicinal, native plants, antibacterial.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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