Antibacterial Effect of Aquatic Extract of Heracleum Spp. Hogweed Plants from Europe on Thirteen Different Bacteria

Aquatic extracts of Heracleum (family: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)) collected from Norway and Netherlands were tested against three bacterial strains isolated from humans, three fish pathogens, four non-pathogens, and three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from fish intestine in an in vitro growth inhibition assay. Highest in vitro growth inhibition of the test bacteria was noticed in the sterile supernatant of 5 g H. persicum and 5 g H. mantegazzianum )collected from Netherlands) boiled in 500 ml water for 2 h. Generally, highest growth inhibition was observed on Gram-positive test bacteria but lesser effect was noticed on LAB isolated from fish intestine. The aqueous extracts of H. persicum showed highest activities over Bacillus megaterium , Micrococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Staphylococcus aureus.