Bioactivity of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Rauvolfia vomitoria on Neonatal Group B Streptococcus

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a harmless commensal bacterium in healthy adults, but it causes sepsis in neonates resulting in a high rate of mortality. This study was carried out to investigate the antibacterial activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Rauvolfia vomitoria bioactive fractions on 35 multidrug resistant GBS strains implicated on neonatal sepsis as well as identifying the antibiotic resistant genes present. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bacteria Concentration (MBC) of the different plant biofractions was determined. The presence of erythromycin (ermB) and tetracycline (tetO) resistant genes was identified using duplex PCR techniques. Statistical analysis was done. The results obtained show that the plants have dose dependent activity against GBS. Ethanol biofraction of R. vomitoria had the highest activity with an MIC value of 12.5 mg/ml and MBC, 25 mg/ml followed by methanol biofraction of B. pinnatum with an MIC value of 50 mg/ml on 32 out of the 35 strains investigated, then MBC values at 50 mg/ml while N-hexane and aqueous biofractions had the least activity. Also, the presence of ermB and tetO resistant genes were present in all the ten representative GBS strains tested. The high rate of activity shown by the methanol and ethanol biofractions of both plants suggests that the plants can serve as a potential alternative for the treatment of neonatal sepsis. However, a further study on their in vivo activity is important in order to evaluate the efficiency, safety and potential adverse effects and drug herb interactions of the plants. No conflicts of interest.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 December 2022