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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of ethanolic extracts  from Ficus vasta Forssk against three Aeromonas strains (Aeromonas sobria, Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida). The leaves of F. vasta were collectedin M. M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden (NBG, Kyiv, Ukraine) and Botanic Garden of Ivan Franko Lviv National University (Lviv, Ukraine). Freshly collected leaves were weighed and homogenized in 96 % ethanol (in proportion 1:10) at room temperature. Three Aeromonas strains: Aeromonas sobria (K825) and Aeromonas hydrophila (K886), as well as Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida (St30), originated from freshwater fish species such as common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum), respectively, were isolated in Department of Fish Diseases, The National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy (Poland). Bacteria were collected from fish exhibiting clinical disorders. The largest inhibition zone diameter (20.63±1.44 mm) was obtained against Aeromonas sobria (K825) growth, while the smallest inhibition diameter (13.38±0.42 mm) and (13.0±0.94 mm) was obtained against Aeromonas hydrophila (K886) and Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida (St30) strains, respectively. The ethanolic extract of F. vasta exhibited the intermediate activity against Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida (St30), while Aeromonas sobria exhibited high susceptibility activity. The active compounds involved in the anti-Aeromonas activity have yet to be identified. The evaluation of the benefit/risk balance for the use of these plants in the treatment of Aeromonas-induced infections in the aquaculture could be better documented in in vivo study. A bioassay-guided fractionation study of the active extract of these plants is underway to identify the compound(s) responsible for this activity.

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