Antimicrobial Activities of Datura stramonium against Selected Fungal and Bacterial Human Pathogens

Antimicrobial efficiency of Datura stramonium plant parts (leaf, seed, stem and flower) crude extracts were examined using Ethanol, Chloroform and DMSO as solvents and tested against four bacterial and two fungal human pathogens like Bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Salmonella typhi ATCC1331, Streptococci agalactecia ATCC13311 and Fungi: Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus using agar disc diffusion method. The antimicrobial activities were examined by measuring growth inhibition zone (IZ) of each plant extracts in replicates against each tested microorganism and comparing their mean values with each other. The Activity index (AI) of each plant extract was calculated by dividing Inhibition zone of test plant samples by inhibition zone of their standard drug. The Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each plant extracts were also determined against tested pathogens by using broth dilution method. The ethanol and chloroform seeds and leaves extracts of Datura stramonium showed maximum zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration against all the tested microorganisms. The chloroform seed extracts were showed (IZ=24.3 ± 3.1mm, 16.33 ± 4.16mm and 12.7 ± 1.53mm) against Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcocus aureus respectively. Similarly, the IZ of ethanol seed extracts of Datura stramonium was found to be (IZ=29.3 ± 1.16mm, 14.7 ± 2.55mm and 13.3 ± 1.3 mm) against Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcocus. aureus respectively. The MIC of chloroform seeds extract of Datura stramonium was found to be 25 mg/ml, against Aspergillus flavus and 50mg/ml against these three tested bacterial strains and Aspergillus niger .The result in the present study may be indicative of chloroform and alcoholic extracts of these plant parts having antibacterial and antifungal activity and possible source to obtain new and effective herbal medicines to treat infections. Moreover, it has justified the traditional uses of Datura stramonium to treat various infectious diseases.