Antibacterial, antifungal activity and phytochemical analysis of some desert plants against human pathogenic bacteria and fungi

Five desert plants; namely, Bidens bipinnata, Cyperus alternifolius, Desmostachya bipinnata, Glossostemon bruguieri, and Schouwia thebica were investigated for their antimicrobial activity. The ethanolic extract inhibited the growth of some pathogenic bacteria including Enterococcus faecalis,Escherichia coli, Moraxella lacunata, Proteus merabiles, Pseudomons aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcesens, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Sarcina ventricull, Staphylococcus aureus and pathogenic fungi including Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigates and Penicillium chrysogenum. The extracts of Cyperus alternifolius and Desmostachya bipinnata were similar in their phytochemical constituents, while the chemical groups of Bidens bipinnata were similar to those in Schouwia thebica. Traces of saponins were only present in Glossostemon bruguieri.