PJB-2012-247
SCREENING OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF HERBAL REMEDIES FOR SKIN DISEASES AMONG LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF NORTH WEST PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
FARAH GUL, ZABTA KHAN SHINWARI* AND IMRAN AFZAL
Abstract
The aim of this study was to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of North Western Punjab to identify medicinal plants traditionally used to treat skin infections and to determine their antimicrobial potential against skin-infecting pathogens. Methanolic extracts of selected plants were screened against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans using the well diffusion method. Some plants are traditionally used in combination with other plants and chemicals like vinegar and olive oil. Therefore, antimicrobial screening was also done for these combinations in different proportions. Results showed that out of 12 studied plants, six showed inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Azadirachta indica and Mentha arvensis showed high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with similar minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 2.5 and 5mg/ml, respectively. Azadirachta indica, Cassia angustifolia, Phoenix dactylifera and Lawsonia inermis were found to be effective against the fungus Candida albicans, with MIC values of 0.625
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