A preliminary study on the antimicrobial properties of several plants collected from Terengganu, Malaysia

Ethanol extracts of six plants used by local residents of Terengganu as medicinal plants were selected and screened for antimicrobial activities using the disc diffusion method. All plant extracts were effective against Staphylococcus aureus. The root extracts of Abutilon indicum and Melastoma malabathricum, and the leaf extracts of Piper betel exhibited antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the yeast Candida albicans. The leaf extracts of Molineria latifolia and Abutilon indicum were also effective against Escherichia coli while the extract of roots of Molineria latifolia, the tuber of Dioscorea daemona, and the leaves of Piper sarmentosum and Melastoma malabathricum exhibited an activity against Candida albicans. The results obtained were comparable to commercially available antibiotics, antifungals and Cassia alata extracts at equivalent concentrations. In conclusion, the tested plants possess potential antimicrobial activity and require further studies