Evaluation of in-vitro antimicrobial activity of Artemisia  apiacea H. and Scutellaria baicalensis G. extracts.

PURPOSE: In traditional Korean medicine, Artemisia apiacea H. (ART) and Scutellaria baicalensis G. (SCU) are combined for the treatment of malaria and other malaria-like diseases. Because SCU is well-known as an antibacterial agent, the antimicrobial effect of a mixture of ART and SCU was investigated.

METHODOLOGY: Plant samples were purchased from Kyungdong mart and extracted with 70 % ethanol. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of ART and SCU against pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida glabrata), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) was evaluated using a broth microdilution assay, modified-disc diffusion and agar dilution methods with further CH2Cl2-fractionated ART, SCU and a mixture of ART/SCU (at a ratio of 3 : 5) (THAN-1).

RESULTS: ART and SCU were effective against A. niger, C. albicans, B. subtilis and S. aureus. The range of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values was 0.03125 to 4 mg ml-1 in the ART and SCU treatments. ART exhibited stronger activity than SCU. Interestingly, a 3 : 5 ratio mixture of ART and SCU (THAN-1) showed stronger antimicrobial activity than ART or SCU used individually.

CONCLUSION: A treatment using a mixture of herbs such as THAN-1 would be useful in the suppression of the growth of pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains.