Antibacterial activity of Thymus vulgaris L. and Mentha piperita L. extracts against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from burn infection

Abstract

The study includes 60 patients infected with burns in Baquba Educational Hospital from the beginning of November to the end of December 2012. The swabs taken from burns have been cultured in media of blood agar and Mannitol salt agar. The characterizations of morphology and biochemical test for isolates shows that 15 isolates 25% belonged to Staphylococcus aureus. The isolates sensitivity were tested against 8 different antibiotics , which revealed sensitivity to Azithromycin, Erythromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin, and Amikacin, while they were resistant to Ampicillin , Amoxicilline and Cephotaxime .This study revealed a significant effect of Mentha piperita hot water extract at the concentrations (10, 20, 40, 80, 160) mg/ ml against isolate of Staph. aureus with inhibition zones (11.8,15.2,18.0,20.6, 23.4)mm respectively. Approximately a similar inhibitory effects were observed using Thymus vulgaris hot water extract with inhibition zones (0.0, 13.6, 16.0, 18.2, 20.3) mm respectively.