Effect of Yucca shidigera Extract and Saponins on Growth of Bacteria Isolated from Animal Intestinal Tract

Abstract

Influence of Yucca shidigera extract and saponins on the growth of bacteria isolated from the animal intestinal tract was investigated in in vitro. Among a total of 20 strains examined, seven strains classified into 7 species of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Enterococcus hirae, Escherichia coli, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum and Streptococcus bovis grew well on the media containing 10% Yucca shidigera extract. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Y, shidigera saponins prepared from Y. shidigera extract against these 7 strains exceeded 28mg/ml. Meanwhile, the other 13 strains which include Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium varium, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium innocuum, Clostridium sporogenes, Veillonella parvula, Propionibacterium acnes, Eubacterium aerofaciens, Selenomonas ruminantium, Peptococcus asaccharolyticus, Ruminococcus productus and Megasphaera elsdenii did not grow on the media containing 10% Y. shidigera extract. And, the MICs of the Y. shidigera saponins against these 13 strains was in the range of 14 to 0.7mg/ml. The results obtained in this investigation provide useful and basic information for analyzing the effects of Y shidigera extract and saponins on the constitution of microflora in the animal intestinal tract.