Screening of traditional Chinese medicines against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureu

Purpose To screen traditional Chinese medicines using powerful antibacterial activity against methicillin-resisistant Staphylococcus aureu(MRSA).Methods The Chinese medicines with powerful antibacterial activity against MRSA were selected from 50 traditional Chinese medicines by Kirby-Bauer.The MICs of selected Chinese medicines with powerful antibacterial activity against MRSA were performed by agar disk.Synergetic antibacterial test of each two of the selected 5 Chinese medicines against MRSA were carried out by trace multi-well culture plates.Results 35 Chinese medicines had inhibitory effects on the strain of MRSA with varied extent in 50 Chinese medicines,among which were Coptis chinensis,Cortex Phellodendri,Rhubarb,Radix Stellariae and granatum.Furthermore,FIC index is 0.5 when Coptis chinensis and Cortex Phellodendri were in combined use.Conclusion Most of the selected traditional Chinese medicines have certain inhibitory effect on MRSA,in which Coptis chinensis,Cortex Phellodendri,Rhubarb,Radix Stellariae and granatum have powerful antibacterial activity against MRSA,and the combined use of Coptis chinensis and Cortex Phellodendri has the strongest inhibitory effect on MRSA because of synergistic effect,and it is the better choice in anti-MRSA Chinese medicines.