ANTIMYCOBACTERIAL CRUDE PLANT-EXTRACTS FROM SOUTH, CENTRAL, AND NORTH-AMERICA

Two-hundred and thirty crude organic extracts from 118 plant species d istributed among 10 families were evaluated for anti-mycobacterial act ivity. Activity was determined against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37R V and Mycobacterium avium using the BACTEC 460 radiorespirometric assa y. At 100 mu g/ml, twenty-four and ten of the extracts caused more tha n 95% inhibition of growth of M. tuberculosis and M. avium, respective ly. The most active plant species (100% inhibition) were Borrichia fru tescens, Solidago arguta, and Inula helenium against M. tuberculosis, Euthamia leptocephala against M. avium, and Erigeron strigosus and Mag nolia acuminata against both mycobacteria.