Evaluation of in-vitro antimicrobial activity of Artemisia  apiacea H. and Scutellaria baicalensis G. extracts

In traditional Korean medicine, Artemisia apiacea H. (ART) and Scutellaria baicalensis G. (SCU) are combined for the treatment of malaria and other malaria-like diseases. Because SCU is well-known as an antibacterial agent, the antimicrobial effect of a mixture of ART and SCU was investigated.Plant samples were purchased from Kyungdong mart and extracted with 70 % ethanol. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of ART and SCU against pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida glabrata), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) was evaluated using a broth microdilution assay, modified-disc diffusion and agar dilution methods with further CH2Cl2-fractionated ART, SCU and a mixture of ART/SCU (at a ratio of 3 : 5) (THAN-1).ART and SCU were effective against A. niger, C. albicans, B. subtilis and S. aureus. The range of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values was 0.03125 to 4 mg ml-1 in the ART and SCU treatments. ART exhibited stronger activity than SCU. Interestingly, a 3 : 5 ratio mixture of ART and SCU (THAN-1) showed stronger antimicrobial activity than ART or SCU used individually.A treatment using a mixture of herbs such as THAN-1 would be useful in the suppression of the growth of pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains.