Screening selected medicinal plants for antibacterial activity against Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Methanolic extracts of Vitex negundo (Nochi), Coleus amboinicus (Karpuravalli), Hylocereus polyrhyzus (Dragon fruit) and Andrographis paniculata (Hempedu Bumi) were evaluated in an effort to identify antibacterial compounds against clinical isolates of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Coleus amboinicus crude methanolic (CACM) leaves extract inhibited MRSA growth completely at lower concentration compared to other extracts. This is the first time that the CACM leaves extract was tested and reported to be effective against MRSA. Hence, CACM leaves extract was chosen for determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), growth profile of MRSA, bioautographic and toxicity test against brine shrimp. The MIC value of CACM leaves extract against MRSA was 200μg.ml . CACM leaves extract resulted complete -1 inhibition growth of the MRSA in growth profile and bioautography assay. The CACM leaves extract tested showed cytotoxicity activity against the Artemia salina. Therefore, CACM leaves extract could be used as a potential antibacterial agent from the natural plant sources for the treatment of MRSA infection.