Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the methanolic extracts of three Salvia species from Tunisia

Nat Prod Res. 2006 Oct;20(12):1110-20. doi: 10.1080/14786410600834230.

Abstract

This study examines the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the methanolic extracts of three Salvia species from Tunisia: Salvia aegyptiaca L., S. argentea L. and S. verbenaca Ssp. clandestina L. Pugsley. The extracts inhibited the growth of dermatophytes and of bacteria responsible for unpleasant odours to varying degrees; the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, the filamentous fungi Aspergillus fumigatus and selected dog otitis bacteria were all resistant to each of the extracts. The extracts were screened for their antioxidant activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) test systems, and gave positive results in both tests. The extracts of S. aegyptiaca were the most active in both tests, followed by those of S. verbenaca, then S. argentea. These results confirm the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the genus Salvia and underline the potential of these plants either as natural preservatives or in pharmaceutical applications.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Infective Agents / toxicity*
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Burkholderia cepacia / drug effects
  • Free Radicals / metabolism
  • Fungi / drug effects
  • Methanol
  • Picrates
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Salvia / chemistry*
  • Species Specificity
  • Staphylococcus / drug effects
  • Sulfonic Acids
  • Tunisia

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Free Radicals
  • Picrates
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sulfonic Acids
  • 2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
  • Methanol