This study investigated the antibacterial effects of Galla rhois extract (GRE) against Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of GRE against C. jejuni and C. coli were 0.28 and 0.55 mg/mL, respectively, and the corresponding minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were 4.4 and 5.5 mg/mL. C. jejuni treated with the MIC, MBC or 2×MBC of GRE showed significant inhibition of growth compared with that of the control group during the incubation period, and no viable bacteria were detected at 24 h after incubation. C. coli treated with MIC, MBC or 2×MBC of GRE also showed inhibition of growth compared with that of the control group during the incubation period, and in the C. coli cultures treated with MBC and 2×MBC of GRE, no viable bacteria were detected at 24 h after incubation. In conclusion, GRE is a candidate antibacterial agent against C. jejuni and C. coli, and may have applications for the control of Campylobacter infection in poultry.

Aloe, being used widely as a health food and also as a traditional folk remedy for burns and constipation, contains quinone derivatives particularly in its skin. Thus, we have investigated the effect of extracts of Aloe on ethanol metabolism. The dried powder of water extract of skinned Aloe (300 mg/kg body weight given to rats by oral administration at 30 min prior to oral administration of ethanol given at a dose of 4 gm/kg) and the freeze-dried Aloe gel commercial product (600 mg/kg) which was prepared after selective elimination of quinones were found not to increase the ethanol metabolism rate in vivo. This result suggested that quinones, missing from the above preparations, might be responsible for enhancing ethanol metabolism rate.