A total of 315 extracts/fractions from 63 traditionally used Ethiopian
plants were subjected to antimicrobial screening using known strains
of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella gallinarum, Escherichia coli. Pro
teus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candi
da albicans. The agar plate well-diffusion method was used at a sample
concentration of 1000 mug/ml; it was found that all of the plants sho
wed activity against one or more of the microorganism(s). Direct aqueo
us extracts from six plants were found to be active against all of the
test organisms. These findings confirm traditional therapeutic claims
for aqueous dosage forms of these herbs. The relative susceptibility
of the test organisms to the five types of extracts/fractions indicate
d a decreasing rank order of: S. aureus, P. aeruginosa. C. albicans, S
. gallinarum, E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. vulgaris.