Multi-Antibiotic Combinations and Antimicrobial Activities of Propolis, Fig Extracts against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Patients with Pneumonia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, aerobic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa is highly pathogenic, due to its multidrug resistance and its high rates of mutation. The plant extracts that were used are propolis, Ficus carica, Citrullus colocynthis, etc. Propolis protects itself by producing antimicrobial-containing waxy material. F. carica latex is extracted from leaves and trees. C. colocynthis contains many bioactive elements. Objectives: The aim of this study is to find the most effective plant extract to either eliminate or kill P. aeruginosa. Materials and Methods: The plant extraction was done using only water, in which the plant was soaked in water that was hot enough, followed by filtration, and finally susceptibility testing was done using the disk diffusion method. Results: According to the observed results, among (30) plants, only C. colocynthis showed a significant positive result, and the inhibition zone was (15 and 12mm). Conclusion: This finding underscores the potential of C. colocynthis as a valuable source of antimicrobial agents with the capacity to combat the highly pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant P.aeruginosa. The water extraction method employed in this study provides a simple and accessible approach for harnessing the antimicrobial properties of plants. Further exploration
and characterization of the bioactive elements within C. colocynthis could pave the way for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies and contribute to the ongoing efforts in addressing antibiotic resistance.