Antibacterial Activity of Prunus Scoparia Root Methanol Extract against Most Common Burn Wound Pathogens

BACKGROUND: Burn wound infection and sepsis are serious medical conditions requiring prompt intervention. Plants are a good natural source for the development of novel, safe, and cost-effective antibacterial agents. The objective of the present study was to assess the antibacterial potential of aqueous, chloroform, and methanol extracts of the Prunus scoparia (P. scoparia) root against the most common burn wound pathogens. METHODS: The present experimental study was conducted at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Shiraz, Iran) during 2018-2019. The antibacterial activity of the total plant extract was assayed using the broth microdilution method. Fractionation was performed using a separation funnel and solvents with different polarities. Broth microdilution and agar well diffusion assays were performed to determine the antibacterial potential of the obtained fractions. Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical analyses were performed to confirm the presence of secondary metabolites in both the total extract and the fractions. RESULTS: Methanolic extract of P. scoparia root exhibited antibacterial activity against all tested bacterial strains, especially against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates. This extract, compared to the aqueous and chloroformic extracts, exhibited the presence of active antibacterial compounds. The quantitative and qualitative results of phytochemical screening showed that phenols and flavonoids were the main antibacterial compounds in the methanolic extract of the plant. CONCLUSION: For the first time, we demonstrated the antibacterial activity of the P. scoparia root against MRSA isolates and other common burn wound pathogens.