Minimum inhibitory concentrations of medicinal plants used in Northern Peru as antibacterial remedies.

AIM: The plant species reported here are traditionally used in Northern Peru to treat bacterial infections, often addressed by the local healers as "inflammation". The aim of this study was to evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of their antibacterial properties against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antimicrobial activity of ethanolic and water extracts of 141 plant species was determined using a deep-well broth microdilution method on commercially available bacterial strains. RESULTS: The ethanolic extracts of 51 species inhibited Escherichia coli, and 114 ethanolic extracts inhibited Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, only 30 aqueous extracts showed activity against Escherichia coli and 38 extracts against Staphylococcus aureus. The MIC concentrations were mostly very high and ranged from 0.008 to 256 mg/ml, with only 36 species showing inhibitory concentrations of <4 mg/ml. The ethanolic extracts exhibited stronger activity and a much broader spectrum of action than the aqueous extracts. Hypericum laricifolium, Hura crepitans, Caesalpinia paipai, Cassia fistula, Hyptis sidifolia, Salvia sp., Banisteriopsis caapi, Miconia salicifolia and Polygonum hydropiperoides showed the lowest MIC values and would be interesting candidates for future research. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of antibacterial activity could be confirmed in most species used in traditional medicine in Peru which were assayed in this study. However, the MIC for the species employed showed a very large range, and were mostly very high. Nevertheless, traditional knowledge might provide some leads to elucidate potential candidates for future development of new antibiotic agents.

Pilar tumor of the scalp.

An elderly woman presented with a large, fungating mass over the occipital portion of the scalp. Biopsy revealed this to be a pilar tumor of the scalp. The tumor was excised with a margin of normal tissue and the defect was closed with advancement of scalp and neck skin. Follow-up at 6 months revealed no recurrence of the lesion.

Invasive external otitis: review of 12 cases.

Invasive external otitis is an infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that often occurs in elderly people with diabetes. Twelve cases that illustrate the problems associated with the clinical recognition and successful outcome of the condition were reviewed. The patients' average age was 62.5 years, and they had been ill for an average of 1.8 months before admission to hospital. Predisposing factors included diabetes, swimming in a warm climate and the use of a hearing aid. Radionuclide bone scanning and surgical exploration revealed pathognomonic findings. Initial therapy was often suboptimal: one or more relapses occurred in seven of the patients. All of the patients were cured without relapse after a minimum of 4 weeks of therapy with tobramycin plus an anti-Pseudomonas penicillin. The average duration of the illness was 3.9 months. The outcome in invasive external otitis should be excellent if the condition is diagnosed early and appropriate therapy is instituted.

Multiple tumors of the parotid gland.

Multiple tumors in a single major salivary gland are rare. Recently a patient with an acinic cell carcinoma and a Warthin's tumor in the same parotid gland was surgically treated at the Toronto General Hospital. A review of the world literature failed to reveal any report of this combination of tumors in the same gland.

Arnold-Chiari malformation--some otoneurological features.

Arnold-Chiari malformation was diagnosed in five patients with vertigo. Four were of anatomical type I. A case report is given of one patient who presented features of a unilateral cerebellopontine angle lesion. Downward beating vertical nystagmus was an important finding in three of the five patients. Other clinical and radiological features of the condition are discussed.

Gentamicin vestibulotoxicity. Long term disability.

Vestibular toxicity is known to occur from gentamicin. Over a five-year period seven patients with severe and prolonged ataxia from gentamicin vestibular toxicity were seen. Two of these patients were not in renal failure. Case reports of five of these are presented. The possible explanations for prolonged disability are discussed.