Antimicrobial effect of natural dyes on some pathogenic bacteria

In this study we have detected the antimicrobial activity of four natural dyes (obtained from Rubia tinctorum, Allium cepa, Punica granatum L and Mentha sp.) on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Shigella sonnei RSKK 877, Escherichia coli ATCC 35218, Bacillus megaterium RSKK 5117, Bacillus subtilis RSKK 244, Bacillus cereus RSKK 863, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 29212, Streptococcus epidermidis, Salmonella 21.3 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853. P. granatum dye was most effective against the test bacteria except E. coli and S. epidermidis. The textile material impregnated with four natural dyes and maximum inhibition rates (respectivelly, 80, 86, 52%) were obtained against B. subtilis of wool samples dyed with P. granatum, A. cepa and R. tinctorum while maximum inhibition rates (91%) was found against P. aeruginosa of wool sample dyed with R. tinctorum