Pharmacology and Ethnopharmacology

Different plants have been traditionally used in folkloric medicine to treat many diseases and disorders or to improve human health due to their secondary metabolites which have excellent antimicrobial activities. Commiphora gileadensis and Abutilon bidentatum were collected from Al-Abwa region, Saudi Arabia, identified, extracted and their antibacterial activity was determined by agar well diffusion method. Extraction by methanol, ethanol, acetone and hot water was carried out and some multidrug-resistant bacteria were used as test bacteria. Maximum activity was recorded for the methanolic

extract against all tested bacteria with inhibition zone diameter ranged from 31-35 mm and MIC was ranged 37.5 μg/ml. The lowest activities were recorded for the water extracts of the two plants Commiphora gileadensis, and Abutilon bidentatum. Abutilon bidentatum extract showed weaker antimicrobial activity against the tested bacteria compared to C. gileadensis leave extracts. It is noticed that C. gileadensis stem extracts showed stronger antimicrobial activity. The methanolic extracts of the two tested plants have no toxicity using Artemia salina as a test organism. In conclusion, C. gileadensis and A. bidentatum can

be traditionally and safely used against multidrug-resistant bacteria due to the efficient antimicrobial activities and low toxicity.