PHYTOCHEMICAL AND IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ASSAY OF THE LEAF EXTRACT OF NEWBOULDIA LAEVIS

• Published in: African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 476 - 480
• Main Authors: Usman, H, Osuji, J. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nigeria African Ethnomedicines Network 10-06-2007; African Networks on Ethnomedicines
• Subjects: Antimicrobial, Leaf Extracts, In vitro, Phytochemical, Newbouldia leavis; Research Paper; Antimicrobial; Leaf Extracts; Newbouldia leavis; In vitro; Phytochemical
• ISSN: 0189-6016; 2505-0044; 0189-6016
• DOI: 10.4314/ajtcam.v4i4.31240

The methanolic leaf extract of Newbouldia laevis was subjected to
preliminary phytochemical screening and in-vitro antimicrobial tests.
The extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, terpenes,
steroidal and cardiac glycosides. The antimicrobial activity of the
plant extract was assayed by the agar plate disc diffusion and nutrient
broth dilution techniques. Test microorganisms were Pseudomonas
aeruginosa , Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Salmonella
typhi , Klebsiella spp. and Candida albicans ; all the organisms were
laboratory isolates. The extract inhibited the growth of all the test
organisms especially against Klebsiella spp. and S. aureus which had
mean inhibition zone of 42.3±1.5 and 32.3±1.5 mm
respectively. The results showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)
of 1.563 mg/ml against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. and 3.125
mg/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and
Salmonella typhi. The minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) against
Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was 0.39 mg/ml. This study
has justified the traditional use of this plant for the treatment of
stomach discomfort, diarrhea, dysentery and as a remedy for wound
healing whose causative agents are some of the organisms used in this
study.