Antibacterial Activity of Plant Extract on Bacteria Species

Abstract

Spices have been used for many centuries by various cultures to enhance the flavor and aroma of our foods. Our ancestors have also recognized the usage of spices in food preservation and in the treatment of clinical ailments. However, there are several reports on the development of antibiotic resistance in diverse bacterial pathogens (Gold, S.G. and Moellering, R.C.,1996). Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli resides in human intestines and can cause lower urinary tract infections, cholecystitis and septicemia (Benhassaini et al., 2003; Benjilali et al.,1986). Different antibiotics exercise their inhibitory activity on different pathogenic organisms (Chanda and Rakholiya, 2011). Multiple drug resistance in human pathogenic microorganisms has developed due to indiscriminate use of commercial antimicrobial drugs that are commonly used in the treatment of infectious diseases. The development of antibiotic resistance is multifactorial; this includes the specific nature of the relationship of bacteria to antibiotics, the usage of antibacterial agent, host characteristics, and environmental factors. This study has forced scientists to search for new antimicrobial chemotherapeutic substances from various sources. However, the cost of production of synthetic drugs is high and they produce adverse effects compared to plant derived drugs (Abiramasundari et al., 2011).