Research Article Open Access

In vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Nopalea cochenillifera Pad Extracts

R. Gomez-Flores1, P. Tamez-Guerra1, R. Tamez-Guerra1, C. Rodriguez-Padilla1, E. Monreal-Cuevas1, Leticia A. Hauad-Marroquin2, C. Cordova-Puente2 and A. Rangel-Llanas2
  • 1 Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico
  • 2 Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico

Abstract

Effectiveness of botanical treatments has been recognized by many, but scientific validation on the beneficial use of plants is scarce. Nopalea pads are probably native to Mexico or Central America and are used for human consumption and for medicinal purposes. In this study, in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of fresh and dried Nopalea cochenillifera (NC) were investigated. MICs of fresh NC hexanic, chloroformic and ethanolic fractions against C. albicans were 250, 250 and 3.9 µg mL-1 respectively; MICs of fresh NC against Salmonella enterica var. thyphimurium were 15.6, 62.5 and 3.9 µg mL-1 respectively; and MICs of fresh NC against Escherichia coli were 500, NA (no activity) and 3.9 µg mL-1 respectively. In addition, MICs of dried NC hexanic, chloroformic and ethanolic fractions against C. albicans were 31.2, 31.2 and 3.9 µg mL-1 respectively; MICs of dried NC against Salmonella enterica var. thyphimurium were 15.6, NA and 3.9 µg mL-1 respectively; and MICs of dried NC against Escherichia coli were NA, 62.5 µg mL-1 and NA respectively. The relevance of using fresh versus dried Nopalea cochenillifera pad extracts against in vitro microbial growth is discussed.

American Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 2 No. 1, 2006, 1-8

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2006.1.8

Submitted On: 30 March 2006 Published On: 31 March 2006

How to Cite: Gomez-Flores, R., Tamez-Guerra, P., Tamez-Guerra, R., Rodriguez-Padilla, C., Monreal-Cuevas, E., Hauad-Marroquin, L. A., Cordova-Puente, C. & Rangel-Llanas, A. (2006). In vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Nopalea cochenillifera Pad Extracts. American Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2006.1.8

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Keywords

  • Nopalea cochenillifera
  • methanolic extract
  • hexanic extract
  • ethanolic extract
  • in vitro
  • antibacterial activity
  • antifungal activity
  • Salmonella enterica
  • E. coli
  • Candida albicans