Sahakyan Naira, Petrosyan M and Trchounian A
Yerevan State University, Armenia
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Microb Biochem Technol
The ever-increasing demand for herbal medicine requires searching for new sources of biologically active compounds. Alkanna orientalis (L.) Boiss. is known as a plant with high biological activity. A. orientalis plant callus culture was isolated, antimicrobial activity of its aqueous extracts was studied against a number of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium), Gram-positive (Bacillus mycoides, B. mesentericus, B. megaterium, B.subtilis, Brevibacterium lavum, Enterococcus hirae, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, St. citreus WT, St. roseus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. rhamnosus) bacteria and yeasts(Debaryomyces hansenii, Pichia guilliermondii) by the method of diffusion in the agar. A Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for callus extracts wasdetermined against E. hirae. The extracts with different concentrations (500 μg/ml, 250 μg/ml, 125 μg/ml, 62.5 μg/ml, 31.25 μg/ml and 15.625 μg/ml) had been used. As a positive control, shikonin was used with the same concentrations, as those of the extract. According to our studies, callus extracts possessed marked bacteriostatic activity against gram-positive bacteria and bactericidal activity - against lacto acid bacteria. MIC was corresponding to 250 μg/ml dry weight of extract in comparison with purified shikonin, which MIC was 31.25 μg/ml. Hence, A. orientalis callus tissue extracts have the rather high antimicrobial activity, which will be useful for development of new medicinal preparations as well as for food industry.
Sahakyan Naira has completed her PhD from Supreme Certification Commission of the Republic of Armenia (of Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia). She is the researcher of Yerevan State University, Armenia. She has published more than 25 papers in reputed journals and over 20 participations on scientific meetings.