Antibiotic effects of Lunularia cruciata (Bryophyta) extract

This work aims to extend our knowledge on the antibacterial and antifungal activity of the liverwort, Lunularia cruciata (Bryophyta). We evaluated the action of its acetone extract against 13 bacterial and 2 fungal strains. On pharmacological screening, substantial antibacterial activities were observed for the acetone extract of the mature gametophyte of L. cruciata while antifungal activity was not observed on the strains tested. Adult thalli of L. cruciata, collected in the Botanical Gardens of Naples, underwent extraction with acetone. Inhibition of bacterial growth was compared with that of Na-cefotaxime, benzyl penicillin, and tetracycline, while the antifungal activity was compared with that of griseofulvin. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined for the extract showing exclusively bacteriostatic activity.