An in vitro assessment of the antibacterial effect of garlic (Allium sativum) on bacterial isolates from wound infections

BACKGROUND: Garlic (Allium sativum) has come to be seen as an all rounded treatment for preventing wound infection, common cold, malaria, cough and lung tuberculosis, hypertension, sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, kidney diseases, liver diseases, asthma, diabetes. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to assess the antibacterial effect of crude preparation of garlic on bacterial isolates from the wound infections. METHODS: An experimental study was conducted in Gondar University Teaching Hospital School of Medical Laboratory Technology, Microbiology Laboratory from June 2004 to April 2005 by agar dilution technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of garlic to control strains of Staphylococcus aureus ATTC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATTCC 25922, as well as to clinical isolates of S. aureus, E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined using agar dilution method The data was collected in triplicate. RESULTS: All the tested organisms were inhibited by 33.75 mg/ml of the crude preparation of garlic except control organism and clinical isolates of S. aureus, which were inhibited by 11.25 mg/ml of crude garlic. Garlic did not reveal bactericidal effect up to a concentration of 37.5 mg/ml against all the tested organisms. CONCLUSION: Crude preparation of garlic could be used as an effective antibacterial agent for the tested organisms. Nevertheless, clinical trial on the effect of garlic is essential before advocating large-scale therapy.