Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and myrrha extracts on the inhibition of Candida albicans and two isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and in different concentrations. The results showed that the aqueous extract of spices have no inhibitory effect on the growth of the tested microbes, while, that two types of the Myrrha (Commiphora myrrha and C. molmol) aqueous extracts inhibited all the tested microbes. Also, the alcoholic extract of four spices had inhibitory effect on the growth of three pathogenic tested isolates. By performing the chemical analysis for the Myrrha, it was noted that it contains three components known for their antimicrobial effect. These components are: 2-fluorodiphenylmethane, Tribenzo-1,2,3,4,5,6anthracene and 2-bromo-1-(4-bromophenyl)-ethanone. In addition, the activity of 8 types of the bacterial antibiotics used pharmaceutically in order to know the sensitivity of the microbes' tested showed that S. aureus (MRSA) and C. albicans were more resistant, as it not affected by all the tested antibiotics. As a result, it is more effective to use Myrrha instead of industrial antibiotics.

Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Commiphora, 2-fluorodiphenylmethane, 2-bromo-1-(4-bromophenyl)-ethanone, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves.