Preliminary Screening of Antibacterial and Antitumor Activities of Papua New Guinean Native Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Thirty-seven crude drug samples were prepared from different parts of 24 plants belonging to different families, and screened for antibacterial and antitumor activities. Antimicrobial activity was tested against gram positive (Staphylococcus albus and Bacillus sublilis) and gram negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia) bacteria. Most of them exhibited antibacterial activity only against gram positive bacteria. Antitumor activities were screened in mice bearing sarcoma 180 cells. Five samples were found to mediate a significant increased in lifespan, indicating potential antitumor activity.