The aqueous extracts from medicinal plants commonly used by herbalists in Mbeere, and Embu districts of Eastern province, Kenya, were tested for their inhibitory activity against three selected strains of bacteria. All the selected plant extracts (infusions: 1.0g sample in 100 ml water) investigated showed activity against
Escherichia coli
with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 5.8 – 18.0 mm.
Terminalia brownii
gave the largest inhibition zones against
E. coli and
Staphylococcus aureus
.
Vernonia lasiopus
and
Tithonia diversifolia
were inactive to
S. aureus and
Bacillus subtilis
, respectively. Eighteen and sixteen plants showed sensitivity of greater than 10 mm against
S. aureus and
B. subtilis, respectively. All control discs gave zones of inhibition of 12 - 24 mm, which were larger than those of the extracts. The present study validated the use of the selected medicinal plants by the herbalists in the treatment of bacterial ailments caused by the strains of bacteria investigated. Medicinal plants used for non-bacterial diseases also exhibited sensitivity towards bacterial strains tested. This implied they could be used as multi-purpose medicinal plants.
