Research Article

Study of the Effectiveness of Cinnamomum camphora Leaf Extracts against Bacteria Causing Respiratory Infections

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory activity of alcoholic and hot aqueous extracts of Cinnamomum camphora leaves against bacteria isolated from respiratory infections, including Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, collected from Al-Hakim General Hospital in Najaf Al-Ashraf from December to April 2021. These bacteria are clinically significant as they cause respiratory tract infections. A total of 133 samples was collected from patients exhibiting symptoms of respiratory tract infections, yielding 92 positive samples (69.17%) and 41 negative samples (30.83%). The bacterial strains identified included Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, with prevalence rates of 46.7%, 17.3%, and 2.17%, respectively. The study results demonstrated that these extracts effectively inhibited bacterial growth in vitro.The antimicrobial activity of the plant extracts, both alcoholic and hot aqueous, was assessed using the agar well diffusion method at a concentration of 200 mg/mL. The highest inhibition zone was observed for Streptococcus pyogenes, measuring 20 mm at 200 mg/mL, while the lowest inhibition zone was recorded for Klebsiella pneumoniae, measuring 10 mm at concentrations of 100 mg/mL and 200 mg/mL For both the alcoholic and hot aqueous extracts of Cinnamomum camphora leaves. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the hot alcoholic extract of Cinnamomum camphora leaves revealed the presence of active compounds, including flavonoids, amino acids, saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids. In contrast, the hot aqueous extract contained the same active compounds except for amino acids and terpenoid glycosides.