The medicinal potential of Australian native plants from Toohey Forest, Australia

Abstract

Eleven methanolic extracts of ten Australian native plants from Toohey Forest, Brisbane, Australia were investigated for their potential medicinal value as antibacterial agents. All plants showed some antibacterial activity against at least one of the bacteria tested. Alcaligenes faecalis, Aeromonas hydrophilia and Bacillus cereus were the most susceptible bacteria, being inhibited by 9, 9 and 10 of the plant extracts respectively. Davallia pyxidata and Marchantia polymorpha extracts were least effective, inhibiting the growth of only 1 or 2 bacteria respectively. Acrotriche aggregata, Petalostigma pubescens, Leptospermum trinervia and Planchonella queenslandica leaf extracts were particularly effective bacterial agents being capable of inhibiting the growth of 8 (57%), 10 (71%), 9 (64%) and 9 (64%) of the bacteria tested respectively. A. aggregata, P. pubescens and L. trinervia leaf extracts displayed low toxicity in the Artemia franciscana nauplii bioassay, confirming their potential as antibacterial agents for medicinal use.