In vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Cassia alata, Lantana camara and Mitracarpus scaber Against Dermatophilus congolensis Isolated in Benin

Abstract

The authors compared the in vitro antibacterial activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of leaves of Cassia alata, Lantana camara and Mitracarpus scaber on Dermatophilus congolensis – a Gram-positive bacteria that causes bovine dermatophilosis – with that of oxytetracyclin and procain benzylpenicillin. Crude alcoholic extracts of C. alata, L. camara and M. scaber were more effective on D. congolensis than aqueous extracts. On a strain isolated from infected animals, the inhibiting zones diameters were 14–20 mm and 20–24 mm for aqueous and alcoholic extracts at 500 mg/ml, respectively. Both M. scaber extracts showed a higher antibacterial activity on D. congolensis than those of C. alata and L. camara. In vitro antibacterial activity of crude alcoholic extracts of M. scaber at 500 mg/ml on D. congolensis was equivalent to that of procain benzylpenicillin at 800 mg/ml, and about 10–15 times lower than that of oxytetracyclin.