In vitro and in vivo Antibacterial Activity of Cheilocostus speciosus Rhizome Extract on Resistant Bacteria

Zein Sima, Hammouh Fadwa, Dababneh Basem, Gammoh Omar and Al-Smadi Ahmed

Background and Objective: Cheilocostus speciosus has traditionally been used in alternative medicine for different therapeutic purposes in different countries, including as an anti-infective agent. Antimicrobial properties of C. speciosus against standard bacterial strains have been reported before, however, complementary in vivo investigations, as well as, its antimicrobial activity against multi drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are insufficient, if not lacking. In our study, in vitro and in vivo methods were used to test its antimicrobial activities on prominent clinical MDR isolates. Materials and Methods: Cheilocostus speciosus rhizome extracts (CSRE) were prepared using different solvents; methanol, hexane, petroleum ether, ethylene glycol and water. The bactericidal activity of CSRE was tested on methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae serotype K2 (Kp K2), MDR P. aeruginosa, S. typhimurium and MDR E. coli. The standard disc diffusion and the broth micro-dilution methods were used to confirm the efficacy of CSRE against the tested microorganisms. In vitro results proved a potent bactericidal effect on MRSA and Kp K2 and a pronounced bacteriostatic effect against E. coli. Results: We further confirmed the antibacterial activity of CSRE using BALB/c mice, animals were infected with Kp K2 or MRSA along with their standard strains; the extract was found to significantly reduce the bacterial load in mice lungs, liver and spleen. In addition, extracts were found to be more effective on the MDRs than the standard strains. Conclusion: It is concluded that CSRE could be a potential source for new antibiotics, further investigations are required to identify the bioactive components.

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