Antibacterial effect of Capparis spinosa (Capparis spinosa) and Pistacia atlantica (Pistacia atlantica) extracts on growth of Escherichia coli in vitro and in vivo

Escherichia coli is the cause of many surgical wound infections.This study was designed to investigate the antibacterial effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Capparis spinosa and pistacia atlantica on E. coli in surgical wounds using a rat model. The antimicrobial activity of Capparis spinosa and pistacia altantica extract was first determined by paper disk diffusion method to determine Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and also Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). Then, 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three treatment groups. A circular incision was made on the dorsal inter-scapular region of each rat. Then, rats were inoculated topically with 1.5×108 CFU of E. coli at the site of skin wounds. The extracts of Capparis spinosa and Pistacia atlantica was applied to wounds twice a day during the experiment. Animals of the control group were left untreated. The results showed that the extract of Caparis spinosa and Pistacia atlantica had antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial activity of Capparis spinosa extract against E. coli was higher than the Pistacia atlantica extract (The MIC and MBC values). Also there was a significant difference in the rats treated with the extracts in comparison to the control group. It can be concluded that the extracts of these plants have antimicrobial properties and inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli in infected wounds and thus can accelerate the wound healing process. Conflict of interest: None declared.