College of Science, University of Karbala discussed a master dissertation on the effect of a group of antibiotics and plant extracts on certain types of resistant bacteria and fungi that cause infection, particularly those isolated from various clinical sample by the postgraduate student, Ms. Taif Redha Saleh.

The dissertation aimed at test the effectiveness of natural extracts, whether blended or alone, such as ginger, garlic, coriander and marjoram, as well as testing their effectiveness when combined with certain antibiotics and to determine their ineffectiveness on these organisms due to acquired resistance.

The dissertation demonstrated that some extracts exhibited varying inhibitory effects, while the ginger and garlic mixture was the most prominent in terms of efficacy and acceptable odor, the remaining formulations, however, failed to achieve effective synergy when combined with ginger.

The dissertation recommended the need to expand molecular research to understand the mechanism of action of these compounds and study their toxicity to human cells, as well as assessing their ability to affect cell membranes and measure their resistance to the virulence factors associated with these organisms.