Antimicrobial evaluation of some medicinal plants for their anti-enteric potential against multi-drug resistant Salmonella typhi.

Screening was done of some plants of importance in the Ayurvedic system of traditional medicine used in India to treat enteric diseases. Fifty four plant extracts (methanol and aqueous) were assayed for their activity against multi-drug resistant Salmonella typhi. Strong antibacterial activity was shown by the methanol extracts of Aegle marmelos, Salmalia malabarica, Punica granatum, Myristica fragrans, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Terminalia arjuna and Triphal (mixture of Emblica of fi cinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia belerica).

Significance of vancomycin resistant enterococci from urinary specimens at a tertiary care centre in northern India.

Background & Objectives: There is a paucity of information on vancomycin resistance in enterococci from India. In the present study, enterococci isolated from urine specimen were screened for vancomycin resistance.

Methods: 144 enterococci isolates obtained in pure and significant numbers (>10(5) cfu/ml) from 9664 urine specimens were subjected to agar screen method of National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standard (NCCLS) for presence/absence of vancomycin resistance.