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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

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Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Antibacterial in vitro effects of preparations from Anthroposophical Medicine

Authors: Eva Roser, Carsten Gründemann, Inge Engels, Roman Huber

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

Background

Medications from Anthroposophical Medicine (AM) are clinically used for the treatment of infections within a whole medical system but have not yet been evaluated regarding antibacterial effects. The aims of this study was to investigate antibacterial activity of AM medications in cell culture.

Methods

Screening of AM drug registers for preparations used to treat any kind of infection and being available in dilutions ≤ D2 and without alcoholic content. Selected medications were screened for antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar diffusion method. For antimicrobial active preparations growth kinetics (drop plate method) and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC, macrodilution method) were determined.

Results

Thirty-three preparations matched the selection criteria and were chosen for own experiments. One of them (Berberis Decoctum D2) exhibited bactericidal activities against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin resistant strains. The MIC could be determined as 5 mg/ml. The effects could be related to the content of berberine in the extract. No activity towards gram-negative bacteria was found. The other tested extracts had no antibacterial effects.

Conclusion

Berberis Decoctum D2 which is used in AM to treat infections exhibits bactericidal effects on Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin resistant strains.

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Title: Antibacterial in vitro effects of preparations from Anthroposophical Medicine
Authors: Eva Roser
Carsten Gründemann
Inge Engels
Roman Huber
Publication date: 01-12-2016
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1350-3

ACC 2024 Congress

Springer Medicine

Antibacterial in vitro effects of preparations from Anthroposophical Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

ACC 2024 Congress

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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