Susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates to six local medicinal plants

Abstract

The investigation was carried out on 130 pulmonary tuberculosis specimens from human, obtained from Abo anga and El shaab hospitals. The number of the infected males was 103, and females 27, mostly between 20 – 30 years. The specimens were directly smeared, fixed and stained with Ziehl-Neelsen. The acid-fast bacilli (AFB) appeared as red, straight or slightly curved rods, singly or in small groups against blue background. The positive results found in 90 (69.23%), and negative in 40 (30.77%). The positive specimens were cultured on Löwenstein-Jensen ‘L.J.’ medium. The study was done on the 15 pure positive mycobacterial growth for their physiological characters and conventional biochemical tests. Seven specimens were identified and studied for their susceptibility to anti-tuberculous drugs used in Sudan. The findings showed resistance to the common used drugs. The drug resistance patterns to SM, RMP, EMB and INH were : 3 (42.86%), 3 (42.86%), 4 (57.14%), 2 (28.57%) respectively. None of them was resistant to all drugs, and 1 (14.29%) was found to be sensitive to the drugs. Mono resistance was in 1 (14.29%), and multi-drug resistance ‘MDR-TB’ were 5 (71.43%), resistant to two or three drugs were 4 (57.14%), 1 (14.29%) respectively. V The seven isolates tested against extracts of some Sudanese medicinal plants that has previously exhibited inhibitory effect against other microorganisms. The most active extracts (7) belonging to 6 plants (7 parts) related to two families showed activity against the clinical isolates, specially four extracts, then, the minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined. These plants that exhibited high anti-TB activity were phytochemically screened. It can be concluded that certain tannins, saponins, flavonoids play major role in anti-TB activity.