Studies on antibacterial activity of some traditional medicinal plants used in folk medicine

Ethanolic extracts of eight medicinal plants commonly used in folk medicine were tested for their antibacterial activity against four Gram positive strains [Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and, Streptococcus pneumoniae] and six Gram negative strains [Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis. Salmonella typhi para A, Salmonella typhi para B and Shigella dysenteriae] that were obtained from different pathological laboratories located in Karachi, Pakistan. Disc diffusion method was used to analyze antibacterial activity. Out of eight, five medicinal plants showed antibacterial activity against two or more than two microbial species. The most effective antimicrobial plant found to be Punica granatum followed by Curcuma zedoaria Rosc, Grewia asiatica L and Carissa carandas L, Curcuma caesia Roxb respectively. From these results, it is evident that medicinal plants could be used as a potential source of new antibacterial agents

Swine flu: are we the next victims?

Current pandemic influenza due to A [S-OIV A] [H1N1] virus is becoming more threatening day by day throughout the world. It is the time to provide relevant information to the masses regarding this destructing threat to the health of public. The objective of the present paper is to update the current status of swine flu and to provide information to general public, clinicians and other health professionals about H1N1