An investigation into the antibacterial activites of medicinal plants traditionally used in the Eastern Cape to treat lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients

Lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are very serious and are usually fatal. Prolonged antibiotic treatment can result in the development of antibiotic resistance. Thus, studies are required to determine if traditional medicinal plants have any significant effects (i.e. antibacterial effects in this case) on certain bacteria causing lung infections in CF patients, providing possible alternative treatment. The aim of this study was to test the effects of several Eastern Cape medicinal plants on specific bacteria causing lung infections in CF patients, for possible antibacterial activities. Four plants traditionally used to treat lung infections (Artemisia afra, Dodonaea angustifolia, Leonotis leonurus & Tulbaghia violacea), and different strains of four bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas species & Klebsiella pneumoniae), usually causing lung infections were investigated. Methanol, aqueous and acetone extraction methods were used to make extracts of the various plants chosen. A decoction of each plant was also investigated. An adapted microtitre plate method for testing the antibacterial activity of the plant extracts against the chosen bacteria was used. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each plant extract was determined by means of this method