Description: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent prevalent outpatient infections, characterized by a lifetime occurrence and commonly attributed to pathogens like Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida. The distribution and susceptibility of UTI-causing pathogens vary with time and location. These infections pose significant risks, including pre-term birth, renal damage in young children, recurrent pyelonephritis leading to sepsis, and complications arising from frequent antimicrobial use. Conventional antibiotics, including amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and fluconazole, are frequently prescribed for UTIs. However, their high recurrence rates and the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance among urinary tract pathogens underscore the urgent need for alternative treatments. To address these challenges, there is a growing imperative for therapeutic alternatives characterized by fewer side effects, cost-effectiveness, and easy accessibility.
This study was designed to explore the bioactivity of selected berries Fragariaananassa (Strawberry), Emblica officinalis (Amla), Sapindus mukorossi (Reetha), and Solanum nigrum Linn (Mako) against uropathogens. For this 12 distinct extracts were obtained from the four berries and evaluated against a diverse panel of 100 uropathogens, sourced from urine samples collected across various clinical laboratories in Karachi.
Socio-Economic Benefits: This project holds promise for improving public health by providing alternative, cost-effective solutions for treating urinary tract infections, reducing reliance on conventional antibiotics, and potentially lowering healthcare costs associated with antibiotic resistance.
Category: Drug Discovery – Herbal and Synthetic drugs
Department: Microbiology