ABSTRACT
Swine production is a well-established livestock activity in Brazil. On the other hand, the Neonatal Colibacillosis, whose pathogen is Escherichia coli, can decrease the productivity on farms and cause losses to producers. The treatment of the disease is based on the use of antimicrobial drugs. However, the free use of these substances has led to the selection of resistant strains. Thus, the search for alternative therapies such as medicinal plants has become becoming increasingly common. In this context, we aimed to determine the antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts of five plants from the caatinga biome: A. cearensis (Fr. Allem) AC Smith, Encholirium spectabile Mart, Hymenaea courbaril L, Neoglaziovia variegata Mez and Selaginella convoluta Spring in face of isolates of Eschericha coli collected from pigs. For the in vitro susceptibility testing, the method of Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) was chosen The extracts showed antimicrobial activity in the following averages 138.75 175.28, 128.36, 127.71 and 129.33 mg / mL, respectively. This antibacterial activity could be related to the action of secondary metabolites in the extracts of these plants. Thus, the current study can contribute to the development of alternative therapies for the treatment of infections such as swine Colibacillosis Neonatal, as well as to the knowledge of Caatinga medicinal plants
Keywords
Swine production; Medicinal; plant secondary metabolites