Original Article EVALUATION OF INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF IRANIAN PROPOLIS AGAINST FILAMENTOUS BACTERIA

Objective: To investigate the antibacterial activities of propolis in samples collected from Zanjan province IRAN, against 25 pathogenic strains of bacteria. Methodology: In order to evaluate the biological properties of methanol extract of propolis using agar distribution methods (disk and drop plate). Seven concentrations of methanolic extract of propolis were prepared and added drop wise to the bacterial seed layer cultured agar media individually. The diameter of the clear zone formed in each concentration was measured and correlated to the ability of the extracts to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Results: Nocardia asteroides and N. brasiliensis has nearly shown the same susceptibility to various concentrations of propolis extract, and the complete clear zones revealed that this effect was quite remarkable. For other bacteria, different degrees of susceptibility to propolis were observed. Conclusions: We came to this conclusion that zones formed by 50mg/ml Amikacin in agar was similar to that of 5 % concentration of propolis, and that the potency of propolis is 80 % of Amikacin potency, which is the most effective antibiotic against Nocardia