Fitoterapia. 2000 Sep; 71(5): 570-3.

Antimicrobial activity of Fabaceae species used in Yucatan traditional medicine.

Rosado-Vallado M, Brito-Loeza W, Mena-RejÃ³n GJ, Quintero-Marmol E, Flores-Guido JS.

Facultad de QuÃmica, Universidad AutÃ³noma de YucatÃ¡n, 41 No. 421 Col. Industrial, C.P. 97150, MÃ©rida, YucatÃ¡n, Mexico.

The methanol and water extracts of six Fabaceae species, traditionally used in Mayan medicine for the treatment of diarrhoea and eye infections, were phytochemically screened and tested for in vitro antimicrobial activity. Four species showed activity against Gram positive bacteria, five exhibited some activity against Candida albicans, two exhibited activity against Aspergillus niger and only one, Mimosa pigra, inhibited growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. None of the extracts was active against Escherichia coli.