Antimicrobial activity of the crude ethanol extract from Hyptidendron canum leaves

This study proposed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the crude ethanol extract of Hyptidendron canum (Pohl ex Benth.) Harley (Lamiaceae) leaves. The crude ethanol extract was obtained from the dried, pulverized leaves. The H. canum leaf powder was submitted to phytochemical screening. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and Candida albicans using the well diffusion test and the agar dilution method for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoid and saponinic heterosides. The extract demonstrated antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested. The MIC for non-sporulated Gram-positive bacteria varied from 4.37 to 17.5 mg/mL. The sporulated Gram-positive bacteria tested had their growth inhibited by H. canum (MIC from 4.37 to 35 mg/mL). The MIC of H. canum for most of the Gram-negative bacteria was 70 mg/mL, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 17.5 mg/mL), at which concentration C. albicans was also inhibited. This is the first report of phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of H. canum.