IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM (L.) GROWING WILD IN KOSOVO

Now is known that organic extracts of medicinal plants can be used as antibacterial agents. Effectiveness of extract on inhibition of bacterial growth depends from sort of medicinal plant. In this research we have focused in medicinal plant Achillea millefolium (L.) growing wild in Kosovo. The plant A. millefolium (L.) was used for a long time against bacterial infections. Antibacterial efficiency of A. millefolium (L.) were examined by using methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, diethyl ether, water and chloroform extracts and tested against three Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (food isolate), Staphylococcus aurous (clinical isolate), Listeria monocytogenes (clinical isolate) and Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli (clinical isolate). The antibacterial activity was determined by using agar disc diffusion method. The zones of inhibition from extracts were compared to that of penicillin G as standard. More pronounced activity was shown by water, diethyl ether and ethyl acetate extracts of the A. millefolium (L.). The extracts of ethyl acetate and diethyl ether showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus (clinical isolate) and L. monocytogenes. The water extract showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus (food isolate) and L. monocytogenes. Also methanol and chloroform extracts of the A. millefolium (L.) showed a stronger antibacterial activity as penicillin G against bacteria E. coli (extract of methanol) and S. aureus (food isolate) (extract of chloroform). The antibacterial activity of the A. millefolium (L.) was due to the presence of various secondary metabolites such as phenols and flavonoids. Hence, this plant can be used to discover bioactive natural products that may serve as leads in the development of new pharmaceuticals.