Antibacterial And Hemolytic Activities Of Amsonia orientalis (Syn. Rhazya orientalis) Decne. Against Legionella pneumophila Strains

Abstract

ABSTRACT Legionella pneumophila, a causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, can colonize the water systems easily. Despite that, disinfection of the systems is difficult and expensive. Since many of the commercially available disinfectants are harmful for staff responsible for disinfection, and civilians who may inhale to aerosols from treated systems, the search of new antibacterial compound is gaining more importance. In the current study, the antibacterial and hemolytic activity of the A. orientalis extracts was investigated against eleven different L. pneumophila strains isolated from water system in Istanbul. It was determined that the ethanol-leaf extract was the most effective on the bacteria. However, considering antibacterial and hemolytic activities, the stem+leaf chloroform extract have been the most suitable antimicrobial agent agains L. pneumophila.