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Antimicrobial Activity of Artemisia absinthium Against Surgical Wounds Infected by Staphylococcus aureus in a Rat Model

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Abstract

The wound infection is one of the frequent complications in patients undergoing surgical operations. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of surgical wounds. Artemisia absinthium has been shown to bear strong antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive pathogens. This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of A. absinthium against surgical wounds infected by S. aureus in a rat model. Twenty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided randomly into two equal groups of treated and control rats. A circular incision was created on the dorsal inter-scapular region of each rat. After skin wounding, rats were inoculated locally with 1 × 104 CFU of S. aureus at sites of skin wounds. The extract was applied topically twice a day throughout the experiment. Animals of the control group were left untreated. Results have revealed that topical application of A. absinthium extract on the infected wound sites produced significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. A. Koochakzadeh, Mr K. Khosravi, Mr M. Yazdani and A. Keshmiri for excellent technica assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran

    Hamid Reza Moslemi

  2. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran

    Mahdi Askari Badouei

  3. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, University of Semnan, Semnan, Iran

    Khatereh Kafshdouzan

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Ramin Mazaheri Nezhad Fard

  5. Young Researchers Club, Garmsar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran

    Hesamoddin Hoseinzadeh

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  1. Hamid Reza Moslemi
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  2. Hesamoddin Hoseinzadeh
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  3. Mahdi Askari Badouei
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  4. Khatereh Kafshdouzan
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  5. Ramin Mazaheri Nezhad Fard
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Correspondence to Hamid Reza Moslemi.

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Moslemi, H.R., Hoseinzadeh, H., Badouei, M.A. et al. Antimicrobial Activity of Artemisia absinthium Against Surgical Wounds Infected by Staphylococcus aureus in a Rat Model. Indian J Microbiol 52, 601–604 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12088-012-0283-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12088-012-0283-x

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