ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE ETHANOL EXTRACT OF Eugenia dysenterica DC (MYRTACEAE)

The large variety of plant specimens found in Brazil with still unexplored medicinal potential, combined with the increase in bacterial resistance to antimicrobials traditionally employed, opens an important field of research aimed at prospecting new drugs. In this context the objective of this work was to evaluate the antibacterial potential of Eugenia dysenterica and to characterize its phytochemical profile. Ethanolic extracts were obtained by drying, grinding, turbo-extraction and lyophilization of the leaves of the plant. The CIM and CBM tests were performed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential on the following strains: Proteus mirabilis ATCC 15290, Echerichia coli ATCC25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29213 and Staphylococcus epidermides ATCC 12228. E. dysenterica presented bactericidal action at 2 mg.ml(-1) against S. aureus and bacteriostatic at 1 mg.ml(-1) against P. mirabilis. Several phenolic compounds were detected in the phytochemical screening, and the presence of these compounds may justify the biological potential of this plant.