International Journal of Medicinal Plants and Alternative Medicine Vol. 3(1), pp. 001-009, February 2015 ISSN 2327-560X ©2015 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of antibacterial virtues of Teucrium capitatum (Ja'da) on pathogenic bacteria (From Folk to Complementary Medicine)

Bilal Ahmad Ghareeb* and Doha Hisham Weld-Ali

Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Arab American University-Jenin (AAUJ)

P. O. Box 240 Jenin, Palestine.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: bilal.ghareeb@aauj.edu, ghareebbilal@gmail.com. Tel: + 972 4 241 8888 Ext. 1144, + 972 4 2520 030, + 972 569 727 717; Fax: + 972 4 2510 810.

Accepted 20 January, 2015

Abstract

There are more than 200 species of Teucrium including Teucrium capitatum which is used by Palestinians and Jordanians as a folk medicine. Teucrium capitatum is extracted here by original procedures inspired uniquely from the old Palestinian and Jordanian traditions (juice and infusion). These techniques combine the virtues of the plant with an appropriate osmotic pressure. The aim of this study is to assess for the first time the antibacterial capacity of T. capitatum on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus epidermis. Of special interest, bacteria caused colic and gastric infection like E. coli and P. aeruginosa. This application copes up with the traditional use of T. capitatum against colic and intestinal infections. Results show antibacterial virtue in T. capitatum. The juice method is more efficient against pathogens than the infusion method. The bacterial species mostly inhibited by T. capitatum is P. aeruginosa (inhibition of 58% and 19% of growth at 16.5 mg of fresh Ja'da/ml of bacterial medium extracted by juice and infusion methods respectively). S. epidermis is inhibited by 50% and 42% at the same dose for both methods of extraction respectively. Similar results are obtained when applying the same dose on E. coli (growth inhibition is 43% and 36% for both methods respectively). T. capitatum also inhibited 23% and 17% of the growth of S. aureus when applied at the same dose for the two methods respectively. Findings here are consistent with the traditional use of T. capitatum as a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease caused by bacterial infections. This plant can, therefore, be recommended for further medical assessment for the appropriate dose(s) and appropriate target pathogenic bacterial strains in addition to the potential side effects notably on liver.

Key words: Teucrium capitatum, pathogenic bacteria, colic, gastroenteritis, medicinal plants, Arab and Palestinian folk medicine.