The antimicrobial activity of Al-Ankabut's home (Spider's web) extract

Abstract

This study is the first in Iraq, in which using Al-Ankabut's home extract as antibacterial biomaterial. Different solvents were used to extract Al-Ankabut's home (distilled water, ethanol and acetone). These extracts were examined to determination of antibacterial activity against pathogen bacteria. The results of the present study shows the acetone extract has effective antibacterial activities on the test isolates as indicated by the diameter of their zone of inhibition. The inhibition zone was 12 mm for Enterobacter cloacae, 8 mm for Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 10 mm for Klebsiella pneumonia and Proteus mirabilis, 14 mm for Bacillus subtilis, 16 mm for Staphylococcus aureus, and 12 mm for Streptococcus spp. The antimicrobial activity of distil water extract and ethanol extract of Al-Ankabut's home has no effect against tested isolates. The antimicrobial activity of distil water extract and ethanol extract of Al-Ankabut's home has no effect against tested isolates. The results of the effect of different concentration of acetone extract of the Ankabut's home against Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria shows the best concentration was 40 mg/ml, the inhibition zone was 12 mm for all Gram negative isolates. The inhibition zone was 14 mm for Enterobacter cloacae, 12 mm for Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus spp., 17mm for Staphylococcus aureus. Whereas the 10 mg/ml concentration gives the lowest effect, the inhibition zone was 8 mm for Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter cloacae, Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus spp. and 10 mm for Staphylococcus aureus. No effect against other Gram negative isolates. The study revealed that the acetone Al- Ankabut's home extract could be as a therapeutic agent for human microbial infections.