Evaluation of antibacterial effects of a combination of Coptidis Rhizoma, Mume Fructus, and Schizandrae Fructus against Salmonella.

The antibacterial potential of a preparation of medicinal herbs for the treatment of salmonellosis was evaluated. The preparation contained a combination of methanolic extracts from Mume Fructus, Coptidis Rhizoma and Schizandrae Fructus, and is designated NP532. NP532 was tested against 26 different Salmonella stains. All these strains were affected by NP532 even though many of the salmonella strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics. The MIC values of this combination against the Salmonella strains varied from 0.49 to 7.8 mg/ml. The in vivo antibacterial activity of NP532 was examined using a S. Gallinarum infection chicken model. The chickens were initially infected with S. Gallinarum, and NP532 was then administered. This preparation was found to have major effects on mortality. The histopathological observations of the NP532 treated animals did not show any of the clinical signs and rarely showed histological damage associated with the disease. On the other hand, the untreated controls showed the clinical signs, e.g. congestion and necrotic changes in the liver, kidney, and spleen. This suggests that NP532 might be an effective treatment for salmonellosis.

Antibacterial activity of medicinal herb extracts against Salmonella.

The therapeutic potentials of twenty-two medicinal herb species traditionally used in Korea to treat gastrointestinal infections were evaluated for the treatment of salmonellosis. Candidates were primarily screened using the disk-agar method for antibacterial activity against three different Salmonella serotypes. Of the herbs tested, the aqueous and methanolic extracts of Schizandrae Fructus exhibited antibacterial activity against all three Salmonella. The extracts of this herb were further tested against 13 additional Salmonella strains of 6 different serotypes. All of these strains were also affected by these extracts, though the methanolic extract had slightly higher activity. The MIC values of this extract against the 16 Salmonella strains varied from 15.6 to 125 microg/ml. Nine of the 16 strains tested had MIC values of <31.3 microg/ml for the methanolic extract of Schizandrae Fructus. The in vivo antibacterial activity of Schizandrae Fructus extract was examined in a S. Typhimurium infection mouse model. Mice were initially infected with S. Typhimurium, and then administered with Schizandrae Fructus extract. The extract was found to have major effects on mortality and on the numbers of viable S. Typhimurium recovered from feces. Clinical signs and histological damages were rarely observed in the treated mice, whereas the untreated controls showed clinical signs, e.g., lethargy, and histological damage in the kidney, liver, intestine, and spleen. We conclude that Schizandrae Fructus has the potential to provide an effective treatment for salmonellosis.