Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of ethanolic and cyclohexane extracts of chamomile flowers (Matricaria chamomilla L.)

Due to the growing selection of microorganisms resistant to antimicrobial, the search for natural alternatives has become popular. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ethanolic and cyclohexane extracts of chamomile flowers, a plant species long used by traditional medicine, against ATCC bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium by agar diffusion and broth dilution techniques. Growth of P. aeruginosa was inhibited when crude ethanolic extract (1g/mL) was used broth dilution, and was confirmed by agar diffusion, (10 mm diameter inhibition zone). For the other bacteria tested, the extracts and their dilutions did not show any bacteriostatic effect in any of the techniques. It may be concluded that pure ethanolic extract of chamomile presents antibacterial action against P. aeruginosa, and none against S. aureus, E. coli e Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sorovar Typhimurium. However, other studies with different strains of microorganisms may be useful in order to corroborate and ensure these results, to define evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of chamomile extract.

chamomile extract; biological activity; Pseudomonas aeruginosa


Sociedade Brasileira de Plantas Medicinais Sociedade Brasileira de Plantas Medicinais, Revista Brasileira de Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Departamento de Farmácia, Bloco T22, Avenida Colombo, 5790, 87020-900 - Maringá - PR, Tel: +55-44-3011-4627 - Botucatu - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revista@sbpmed.org.br