Evaluation of antibacterial effects of Withania coagulans and Cynara cardunculus extracts on clinical isolates of Brucella strains

Brucellosis is a common illness zoonotic and transmitted by eating infected food products. Medicinal plants are considered as new sources for the production of agents that can act as alternatives to antibiotics in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study evaluated the effects of aqueous and ethanol plants of Cynara cardunculus and Withania coagulans extracts on Brucella strains. These plants are vegetarian rennet, which are used in cheese industry. Thirty Brucella strains provided by collection of microbial in research brucella center of Hamadan Iran. Strains identified by biochemical tests and then confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of plant extracts were determined by dilution method with several of bacterial concentrations. Sensitivity to antibiotics and herbal extracts were performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test. The results showed that among the tested antibiotics there was only 10% resistance to rifampin. Examination for plant extracts showed the mean zone of inhibition growth for C.cardunculus and W.coagulan were 28 and 17mm (in 40mg/ml) respectively by disk diffusion method and the highest Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were 10.81μg/ml for C.cardunculus and 43.24μg/ml for W.coagulans. The present study showed C.cardunculus extracts possess compounds with antibacterial properties, therefore can be used as antimicrobial agents in new drugs for therapy of brucellosis. Also Results obtained the provide grounds for use this plant as a functional food in cheesemaking industry.