(360f) The Antibacterial Activity of Plumbago Europaea L. Extract On Textile Surface

Plumbago europaea L., aka leadwort, belongs to the family Plumbaginaceae in the flora of Turkey (1). The herb is used for edema, applied to abscess to drain edema out, inflammations, and scabies in traditional Turkish medicine (2). The leaves of the species have also been used for warts, blisters, injury, calluses and skin hardness (3, 4) as well as to relieve respiratory disorders, hepatitis, and skin disorders in the Palestinian area and for toothache in Southern Italy (5, 6). Moreover, the roots of the plant have been used for dermatitis and herpes in Sardinia, Italy (7). Besides these, the whole plant is used against vermin and as cicatrizant in veterinary medicine (4, 8). Phytochemical studies of the species have revealed the presence of naphthoquinones and flavonoids. The bioassay-guided fractionation of Plumbago europeae L. led to isolate active ingredient, plumbagin, naphthoquinone, the antiplasmodial activity of which is already reported (9). As cited in previous literatures, plumbagin is also a major ingredient of P. zeylanica L. and, it is found that P. zeylanica L. exhibited strong antibacterial and bactericidal activities against H. pylori. Therefore, it is strongly supposed that plumbagin is highly linked with the anti-H. pylori activity of P. zeylanica L. (10). Additionally, leadwort plant has a significant place in natural dyes. During dyeing process generally whole leadwort (root, stern, leaves, flowers) plant is used (11).

Since the plant extract has antibacterial and colorization activities which are widely investigated textile-related properties, possible application onto textile surfaces should be investigated. In this study, dried aerial parts of the plant materials were extracted with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol and water by maceration at room temperature. The combined extracts were evaporated to dryness in vacuo to give crude extracts. The extracts were used to prepare water-based emulsions at various extract concentrations for foulard applications onto 100% cotton, dyed samples. Antimicrobial activity of the treated samples to bacteria sush including Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and color change of samples after applications were evaluated according to standards. 

References

1. Davis, P. H. (1982). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands. In: Plumbago. Edinburg, Edinburgh Univ. Press.

2. Sezik, E., Yesilada, E., Honda, G., Takaishi, Y., Takeda, Y., Tanaka, T. (2001). Traditional medicine in Turkey X. Folk medicine in Central Anatolia. J. Ethnopharmacol. 75, 95–115.

3. Benitez, G., Gonzalez-Tejero, M.R., Molero-Mesa, J. (2010). Pharmaceutical ethnobotany in the western part of Granada province (southern Spain): Ethnopharmacological synthesis. J. Ethnopharmacol. 129, 87–105.

4. Teresa Palmese, M., Uncini Manganelli, R.E., Tomei, P.E. (2001).  An ethno-pharmacobotanical survey in the Sarrabus district ?south-east Sardinia. Fitoterapia, 72, 619-643.

5. Ali-Shtayeh, M.S., Yaniv, Z., Mahajna, J. (2000). Ethnobotanical survey in the Palestinian area: a classification of the healing potential of medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol. 73,  221–232.

6. Passalacqua, N.G., Guarrera, P.M., Fine, G. De (2007). Contribution to the knowledge of the folk plant medicine in Calabria region (Southern Italy). Fitoterapia, 78, 52–68.