ACTIVITY OF THREE ENDEMIC VERBASCUM SPECIES AGAINST HOSPITAL ISOLATES OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Aqueous and ethanol extracts obtained from three endemic Verbascum species (V. obtusifolium, V. chinophyllum and V. linearilobum) used as traditional medicine in Turkey have been investigated for their ability to inhibit 35 hospital isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The antibacterial activity of the extracts was tested by disk diffusion and modified agar dilution method. Ethanolic extracts of the plants were most effective with MICs for MRSA isolates of 0.2-0.4, 0.1-0.4 and 0.4-1.6 mg/mL, respectively, and for S. aureus ATCC 25923 of 1.6, 0.2 and 1.6 mg/mL respectively. MBCs for MRSA isolates were 0.8-1.6, 0.4-1.6 and 6.3-12.5 mg/mL, respectively and for S. aureus ATCC 25923 were 12.5, 1.6 and 25 mg/mL, respectively.