Evaluation of antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of Ruta chalepensis, Hippocratea excelsa, Litsea glaucescens and Waltheria americana against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Antimicrobial resistance is still a problem today, with increasingly limited therapeutic options. Staphylococcus aureus causes infections of the skin, soft tissues and contains a high degree of pathogenicity. The objective of this work was to determine the antibacterial activity of ethanol extracts from several plants at different concentrations against strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant and sensitive to methicillin, using the Kirby-Bauer method. The ethanolic extract of Rue (Ruta chalepensis) shows a significantly higher antibacterial activity than the extracts of Cancerina (Hippocratea excelsa), Laurel (Litsea glaucescens) and Tapacola (Waltheria americana) alone and in combination. Phenolic compounds, anthocyanins and flavonoids were determined. Rue may contribute to the potential identification of a natural alternative therapy against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.