Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Background and Objectives: The medical herb Poulk is used for the treatment of infectious diseases in urinary tract, vagina, respiratory tract, rheumatism, ear infections, and other inflammatory conditions. In this study, the antibacterial effect of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Poulk on bacterial infection of urine, was investigated.

Methods: In this experimental study, techniques for determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of bacterial growth, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and disk diffusion were used to investigate the antibacterial effects of Poulk on the mentioned bacteria. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and Duncan’s tests. Significance level was considered p<0.05.

Results: In this study, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter aerogenes bacteria showed sensitivity to aqueous and methanolic extracts of Poulk in different concentrations. Proteus mirabilis bacteria with an inhibition zone diameter of (2.00±0.2 mm) was the most resistant and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria with an inhibition zone diameter of (20.50±0.2mm) was the most sensitive bacteria to the extract effect. The effect of methanolic and aqueous extracts on staphylococcus aureus was the same. Hydro-methanolic extracts showed MIC and MBC, but aqueous extracts had no bactericidal effect on the bacteria.

Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that aqueous and methanolic extracts of poulk have strong antibacterial effects                on Enterobacter aerogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus (bacteria causing urinary infections), but no effect on Proteus mirabilis.