| Abstract |
Introduction. Empirical evidence suggests that Portulaca oleracea L. treats enteric infections, including dysentery, cholera, and acute infectious gastroenteritis.
Aim. The aim of this study is to clarify the growth-inhibitory effects of Portulaca oleracea L. extract against 56 strains of intestinal pathogens.
Methodology. ‘Gogyo-so-cha (GSC)’ was used as the P. oleracea L. formulation. A growth curve analysis was used to measure the growth-inhibitory effects of GSC, and Shiga toxin induction was measured using the latex agglutination test.
Results. GSC demonstrated strong bactericidal effects against
Shigella dysenteriae
and
Vibrio cholerae
strains from various isolates. GSC demonstrated weak or no bactericidal effects against intestinal commensal bacteria, including
Enterococcus
spp. and
Escherichia coli
. GSC did not induce
Shigella
toxins.
Conclusion. GSC significantly inhibited the growth of intestinal pathogens, including
S. dysenteriae
and
V. cholerae
, without adversely affecting the intestinal flora, supporting the usage of GSC in traditional Chinese medicine. Taken together, GSC would be of immense value in the developing world, where diarrhoeal infectious diseases continue to pose a major health risk.
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