Novel List of Ecuadorian Flowers with Antimicrobial Activity

Flowers have been used since ancient times for different purposes, such as ornamentation for decorative purposes, as food used in a wide variety of dishes, and as medicine, due to the presence of functional compounds that confer health benefits. Thus, species such as Aphelandra squarrosa, Anthurium andraeanum, Ambrosia peruviana, Dahlia pinnata, Bidens andicola, Canna indica, Senna corumbose, Salvia leucantha, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Mirabilis jalapa, Fuchsia magellanica and Aloysia citriodora, native to South America, show antimicrobial activity against certain microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Streptococcus pneumonia, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Aspergillus fumigans and Penecillium chrysogenum, among others. Here we review current information regarding antimicrobial properties of important flowers from Ecuador. It is necessary to develop specific studies in vitro and in vivo to characterize specific components of flowers that can be applied in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries.