ANTIGONORRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF PLANTS USED IN GUATEMALA FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES

Plants popularly used in Guatemala for the treatment of gonorrhoea wer e macerated in 50% alcohol and the tincture tested for in vitro activi ty against Neisseria gonorrhoeae using strains isolated from symptomat ic patients and confirmed by standard bacteriological procedures, From 46 plants investigated, 13 (28.3%) showed evident inhibition zones (> 9 mm), seven (15.2%) showed small activity (6.1-8.9 mm) and 26 (56.5%) showed no activity; nine of these plants inhibited five strains of N. gonorrhoea freshly isolated. The most active plants of American origi n were: bark of Bixa orellana fruits of Parmentiera edulis, leaf of Di physa robinioides, Eupatorium odoratum, Gliricidia sepium, Physalis an gulata, Piper aduncum and Prosopis juliflora, root of Casimiroa edulis , and whole Clematis dioica.