Phytochemical screening of Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss and in vitro evaluation of its antimicrobial activity against some uropathogens
Petroleum ether, methanol and aqueous extracts from the leaves and stems of Petroselinum crispum (Apiaceae) were  screened phytochemically and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity. The extracts were tested against five standard bacteria ,one Gram positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus ) , four Gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae ,Proteus Mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ) and one standard fungi ( Candida albicans )  using disc diffusion method . The petroleum ether extract of the leaves and stems of P.crispum showed  antimicrobial activity against standard tested microorganisms  varied between very active and active whereas the aqueous extract showed lowest activity against all tested microorganisms . The most  active extracts (petroleum ether and methanol)  were tested against 30 clinical isolates  (Bacteria and C.albicans ) collected randomly from the Military and AlRibat Hospitals. The petroleum ether extract and methanol extracts  of the leaves and stems of P.crispum showed active against all tested microorganisms . For the different P. crispum extracts, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against standard and clinical isolates were determined using disc diffusion method and compared to antibacterial activity of two reference drugs and one antifungal drug. The phytochemical screening of P.crispum leaves and stems  petroleum- ether extract, revealed the presence of coumarins and flavonoids in low concentration ,sterols in high concentration and absence of saponins ,alkaloids ,anthraquinones ,tannins ,triterpenes and cyanogenic glycosides. The methanol extract showed the presence of moderate concentration of saponin, coumarin ,flavonoids,triterpenes sterols, high concentration of tannins , alkaloids , absence of anthraquinones and cyanogenic glycosides