Antibacterial activity of Commiphora molmol in wound infections

The isolates of bacteria from patients' infected wound from Hail General Hospital and King Khalid Hospital (Hail city, KSA) showed Gram positive as 37.5% while Gram negative as 62.5%. The Gram positive isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (31.25%) and Bacillus subtilis (6.25%) while Gram negative isolates were Escherichia coli (12.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.5%), Serratia marcescens (12.5%) and Enterobacter cloacae (12.5%). The sensitivity of bacteria isolates tested against six different antibiotics: Streptozocin (STN), Piperacillin (PRL), Ceftazidime (CAZ), Ciprofloxacin (CIP), Imipenem (IMI), and Aztreonam (ATM) antibiotics. All these antibiotics showed sensitivity against Bacillus subtilis; Staphylococcus aureus found resistant to all except IMI; E. coli sensitive to all except PRL; while Enterobacter clocae was sensitive to all except STN and CIP. The inhibitory effect of diethyl ether extract from Commiphora molmol (Myrrh) on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae was obvious but no inhibitory effect shown on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens. The hexane extract from Commiphora molmol (Myrrh) showed minor inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The water extract from Commiphora molmol (Myrrh) showed no inhibitory effect against all bacterial islaots. The antimicrobial properties of C. molmol diethyl ether, hxane and water extracts against clinical isolates of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria could be the first report. Based on the results diethyl ether extract tested can be considered as effective anti-bacterial natural product while the results for water extract and hexane extract showed no efficacy.