J Ethnopharmacol. 1996 Jul; 53(1): 51-4.

Antibacterial activity of Helichrysum pedunculatum used in circumcision rites.

Meyer JJ, Dilika F.

Department of Botany, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Antibacterial assays of Helichrysum pedunculatum showed that dichloromethane extracts are active against all the gram positive bacteria tested, as well as two gram negative bacteria, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia marcescens. A water extract was effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus kristinae, while a methanol extract showed no activity against any of the tested organisms. The antibacterial activity of dichloromethane extract was also investigated by direct bioassay on TLC plates against S. aureus.