Abstract:

Background: Infections caused by multi drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli isolates have been increasing worldwide and are posing treatment challenges. Due to difficulty in developing chemical synthetic drugs and because of their side effects, scientists are making more efforts to search for new drugs from plants resource. In the light of this, the present study aimed at evaluating in-vitro susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli clinical isolates to Euphorbia hirta plant extract.

Methodology: This was a laboratory based experimental study conducted from March to July 2015, involving in-vitro evaluation of 10 Staphylococcus aureus and 10 Escherichia coli clinical isolates susceptibility patterns to Euphorbia hirta plant extract in Mwanza city by crude extraction method.

Results: All bacterial isolates tested (100%) were not susceptible to Euphorbia hirta extracts at different concentrations. The standard drugs for Staphylococcus aureus showed highly susceptibility patterns except Cefoxitin (10%). Escherichia coli isolates were highly susceptible (100%) to Ceftazidime and Gentamicin and less susceptible to Trimethoprim-sulphamethaxazole and Ampicillin (30% and 40%) respectively).

Conclusion: There is no promising evidence for the antibacterial effect of Euphorbia hirta on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli upon use of crude extraction method. Further research using standard extraction methods is recommended so as to reliably ascertain the efficacy of Euphorbia hirta as reported in other countries.