Extract of an herbal composition as antimicrobial and/or antibiofilm agent
An extract of an herbal composition comprising at least two different dried plants useful as antimicrobial and/or antibiofilm agent in the treatment or prevention of microbial infections caused by bacteria, such as for example Escherichia, Klebsiella, Listeria, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Streptococcus or Staphylococcus , or by fungi, such as for example is herein described. It has been found that in such extract, the active ingredients exert their biological effects in a synergistic manner. The extract may constitute the active ingredient of a food supplement, a nutraceutical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition or a functional food or a food additive. A process for preparing said extract is also described here.
1 . A method of treating a human suffering from a Staphylococcus infection with a herbal composition consisting essentially of an aqueous extract of a mixture of powders of Filipendula ulmaria, Camellia sinensis, Rosmarinus officinalis, Arctostaphylos uva - ursi and Vitis vinifera var. tinctoria , wherein the w/w weight ratio between the Filipendula ulmaria and the powders of Camellia sinensis and Vitis vinifera var. tinctoria is between 0.2 and 5, wherein the w/w weight ratio between the Filipendula ulmaria and the powders of Camellia sinensis and Vitis vinifera var. tinctoria is between 0.3 and 3, wherein the w/w weight ratio between the Filipendula ulmaria and the powders of Camellia sinensis and Vitis vinifera var. tinctoria is between 0.5 and 2.5 and wherein the composition further consists essentially of the powders of a plant selected from the group consisting of Achillea millefolium, Acorus calamus, Agrimonia eupatoria, Agropyrum repens, Agropyrum repens, Alchemilla vulgaris, Alkanna tinctoria, Althaea officinalis, Anethum graveolens, Angelica archangelica, Arbutus unedo, Arnica montana, Artemisia pontica, Artemisia vulgaris, Asparagus officinalis, Asparagus officinalis, Asperula odorata, Betula pendula, Borrago officinalis, Buxus sempervirens, Calamintha officinalis, Calendula officinalis, Calluna vulgaris, Carum carvi, Cassia angustifolia, Centaurea cyanus, Centaurium erythraea, Centella asiatica, Cetraria islandica, Chamaemelum nobile, Chamomilla recutita, Chrysanthellum americanum, Cichorium endivia, Cichorium intybus, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Citrus aurantium, Combretum micranthum, Crataegus oxyacantha, Cuminum cyminum, Cupressus sempervirens, Curcuma zedoaria, Cynara scolymus, Cytisus scoparius, Desmodium adscendens, Elettaria cardamomum, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Epilobium parviflorum, Erysimum officinale, Eucalyptus globulus, Eugenia caryophyllus, Eupatorium cannabinum, Foeniculum vulgare, Fraxinus excelsior, Fucus vesiculosus, Fumaria officinalis, Galium odoratum, Gentiana lutea, Geranium robertianum, Ginkgo biloba, Glechoma hederacea, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Handroanthus impetiginosus, Harpagophytum procumbens, Hieracium pilosella, Humulus lupulus, Hypericum perforatum, Hyssopus officinalis, Illicium verum, Inula helenium, Juglans regia, Juniperus communis, Lamium album, Lavandula angustifolia, Levisticum officinale, Lippia citriodora, Lotus corniculatus, Lythrum salicaria, Malva sylvestris, Marrubium vulgare, Medicago sativa, Melissa officinalis, Mentha X piperita, Morus nigra, Myrtus communis, Olea europaea, Origanum majorana, Panax ginseng, Papaver rhoeas, Parietaria officinalis, Passiflora incarnata, Petroselinum crispum, Peumus boldus, Phaseolus vulgaris, Pimpinella anisum, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago ovata, Potentilla anserina, Quercus robur, Rhamnus frangula , Rheum palmatum, Rosa centifolia, Rubia tinctorum, Rubus idaeus, Salix alba, Salvia officinalis, Sambucus nigra, Satureja montana, Silybum marianum, Solanum dulcamara, Tabebuia impetiginosa, Tanacetum vulgare, Taraxacum officinalis, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus vulgaris, Tilia tomentosa, Tilia cordata, Trigonella foenum - graecum, Tussilago farfara, Vaccinium myrtillus, Valeriana officinalis, Verbascum thapsus, Verbena officinalis, Viscum album, Zea mays, Zingiber officinale and combinations thereof, wherein said method consists essentially of administering to said human in need thereof a pharmaceutical effective amount of said composition.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis or Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.