Antimicrobial effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts on the pathogenic bacteria in vitro

Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp and the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies used in treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. In this study, antimicrobial effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts on the food poisoning bacteria were investigated for further clinical application, which is an alternative for the use of antibiotics and their unexpected resistance. Artemisia capillaris extract using ethyl acetate showed the highest antimicrobial effects on S. enteritidis, E. coli O157 : H7, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. The chloroform extract showed strong effects on all kinds of bacteria; whereas ethanol and methanol extracts showed weaker effects. Finally, ether and water extracts showed the weakest effects under the same conditions. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ethyl acetate extract was 1 mg/mL for E. coli O157 : H7 and L. monocytogenes, and 2 mg/mL for S. enteritidis and S. aureus. The inhibitory effects on all the bacteria continued for 12 hours after incubation using 20 mg/mL and 30 mg/mL of ethyl acetate extract. The inhibitory effects continued maximally for 72 hours. The results of these studies indicate Artemisia capillaris extract exhibited excellent antimicrobial and inhibitory effects on the food poisoning pathogenic bacteria; S. enteritidis, E. coli O157 : H7, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus.