Antibacterial activity of leaf extract of Chromolaena odorata and the effect of its combination with some conventional antibiotics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from wounds

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial properties of crude methanolic extract ofChromolaena odorata and its interactions with some standard antibiotics (ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin)on Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from wound samples. P. aeruginosa was isolated from wound samplesfrom hospital patients in Enugu State, Nigeria, using standard bacteriological methods. Methanolic extraction ofC. odorata was carried out using Soxhlet extractor. The antimicrobial activity and in vitro interactions were evaluatedusing a combination of agar well diffusion and broth dilution techniques. The findings of this study showed that allthe P. aeruginosa isolates were susceptible to the C. odorata methanolic crude extract at high concentrations. Therewas an enhancement of the potency of the methanolic crude extract when combined with low concentrations ofstandard antibiotics compared to its potency when tested alone. Our findings give credence to the folkloric use ofC. odorata for the treatment of wounds, especially P. aeruginosa-infected wounds. There could be beneficial clinicalapplication of the coadministration of standard antibiotics and the crude extract of C. odorata in the treatment ofwound infections caused by P. aeruginosa.