ABSTRACT
Antibacterial activity of ethanol extract of Alchornea laxiflora and Citrus aurantifolia on selected pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Salmonella typhi, and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 7080) was evaluated by disc diffusion method. The antibacterial activity of the ethanol extract of Alchornea laxiflora showed a diameter zone of inhibition on Enterococcus faecalis of 15.5mm, 12.5mm and 11.5mm at the concentrations of 100µg, 50µg and 25µg respectively while the selected organisms were not susceptible to Citrus aurantifolia. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of Alchornea laxiflora extract against the susceptible test organism was 6.25mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml respectively. Qualitative phytochemical screening of Alchornea laxiflora leaf extract revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids and the absence of terpenoids. The results obtained from this study suggest that the extract has low potential for use in the treatment of diseases caused by Staphyococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi but could be used in the treatment of diseases caused by Enterococcus faecalis.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Table of contents v
List of tables vi
Abstract vii
CHAPTER ONE
1.1
Introduction 1
1.2 Phytochemical properties of medicinal
plants 3
1.3 Aims and objective of study 3
CHAPTER
TWO
2.0 Literature review 4
2.1 Brief history of Alchornea laxiflora and uses 4
2.2 Brief history of Citrus aurantifolia
4
2.3 Domestic uses of Citrus aurantifolia 5
2.4 Medicinal uses of Citrus aurantifolia 6
2.5 Antibacterial activities of Citrus aurantifolia 7
2.6 Anti-cancer and cytotoxic activities
of Citrus aurantifolia
7
2.7 Antioxidant activity of Citrus aurantifolia 7
2.8 Antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activity of Citrus aurantifolia 8
2.9 Effects on the bone 8
2.10 Phytochemical
constituents of Citrus aurantifolia
9
2.11 Nutritional
content of Citrus aurantifolia fruit
juice
10
2.12 Health
benefits of phytochemicals obtained from citrus
10
CHAPTER THREE
3.0
Materials &methods 11
3.1
Collection of plant samples
3.2
Preparation and extraction of plant materials 11
3.3
Reactivation of stock culture of test organism 12
3.4
Preparation of stock solution of extracts
12
3.5
Antimicrobial testing 12
3.6 Determination
of MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration)
13
3.7
Qualitative analysis of plant extract 13
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1
Results 14
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1
Discussion
18
5.2
Conclusion 19
REFERENCE
LIST
OF TABLES
Table Title of page Page
1 Antibacterial activity of Alchornea laxiflora 15
2 The MIC and MBC values of
susceptible test organisms 16
3 Qualitative analysis of Alchornea laxiflora 17
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Medicinal
plants represent a rich source of antimicrobial agents, plants are used
medically in different countries and are sources of many potent and powerful
drugs (Bhaskarwar et al., 2008). Over
the years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advocated traditional
medicines as safe remedies for ailments of both microbial and non-microbial
origins. Several herbs are known to possess medicinal values including
antimicrobial properties (WHO, 2002). The extensive use of synthetic drugs, excessive
unwanted medications will increase side effects in the body. Sometimes the
toxic effects produced by the administration of drugs are much more a serious
problem than that of the disease itself (Mahesh et al., 2008). Plant extracts of many higher plant have been
reported to exhibit antibacterial, antifungal and insecticidal properties
(Shariff et al., 2006).
Medicinal
plants with antimicrobial activities are known to offer protection against
various bacterial, viral and other diseases (Deshwal et al., 2012) and find industrial applications. Antibiotic
resistance is a serious health problem with significant mortality and morbidity
from treatment failures and lead to increased care costs. Continuing efforts to
investigate new agents from natural sources offers ideal to discover new
antimicrobial agents (Deshwal et al.,
2012). Testing the antimicrobial activities of plant extracts I ns beneficial
to the food, diary and bakery industries as much extracts are safe and offers
effective alternative methods of preventing microbial contamination.
Aqueous
solvent extracts of different plants parts have been tested for pharmacological
and therapeutic activities such as antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic,
hypolipidemic and other activities. Testing plant extracts for antibacterial
activity has been a good source to the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs
(Lamikanra et al., 2009).
In
recent years, pharmacological companies have spent a lot of time and money in
developing natural products extracted from plants to produce more cost
effective remedies that are affordable to common people. The rising incidence
in multidrug resistance amongst pathogenic microbes has further necessitated
the need to search for newer antibiotics sources (Mahesh et al., 2008). Plants are a great source of medicine especially in
traditional medicine which are useful in the treatment of various diseases
(Bako, et al., 2005).
According
to World Health Organization (WHO, 2002) 80% of the world population use
medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases and in African countries, this is
much higher, it has been estimated that up to 90% of the population in
developing countries rely on the use of medicinal plants to help meet their
primary health care needs.
Today,
traditional structures of medicine is being practiced in many accounts.
Medicinal plants are having great impacts in the field of curing diseases and
as a source of medicine for a wide variety of human ailments (Ahmad et al., 2011). Several up-to-date
research work and practical experiences have shown that using medicinal plants
is better than allopathic drugs by being safer besides having synergistic
effects. Even though large number of medicinal plants is recognized by folklore
System of Medicine, they are prescribed widely because of their fewer side
effects, relative low cost and effectiveness; though their biological active
constituents are not completely known (Khan et
al., 2011).
Many
plants produce special substances in their roots, leaves, bark, stem, flower or
seeds that help them to survive, for example, some plants make nasty tasting
substances to defend themselves against plant eating animals (Wisegeek et al., 2011). Since earliest time, people
have gathered these substances to create herbal medicines to treat certain
diseases. Many of these powerful drugs used in modern medicines are of plant
origins. Today plant-based drugs treat a range of diseases from headache to
cancer (Wisegeek et al., 2011).
1.2
PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MEDICINAL
PLANTS
Phytochemicals are
chemicals formed during the plant’s normal metabolic process. These chemicals
are called secondary metabolites of which there are several classes including
Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Terpenes, Tannins, Phenol, Gum, Polysaccharides,
Terpenoids (Okwu, 2005). In addition to these substances, plants contain other
chemical compounds that act as agents to prevent undesirable side effects of
the main active substance or to assist in the assimilation of the main
substances (Anon, 2007). Many medicinal plants exert their beneficial effects
through the additive or synergistic action of several chemical compounds acting
at single or multiple target sites associated with a physiological process
(Osuntokun et al., 2015). These
synergistic pharmacological effects can be beneficial by eliminating the
problematic side effects associated with the predominance of a single
xenobiotic compound in the body (Osuntokun et
al., 2015).
According
to the people of Ntalakwu where these plants (Alchornea laxiflora and Citrus aurantifolia) were collected, they
are used to treat several health problems which include malaria, boil which
results from mosquito bites and stomach pains. Alchornea laxiflora “Okpuruinya’ is used to treat wounds or knife
cuts, Citrus aurantifolia “Epeh”is used
for treating stomach pains.
1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1. To investigate the antibacterial activity of the
ethanol extracts of the leaves of Alchornea
laxiflora and Citrus aurantifolia.
2. To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration
of the extracts against the test organisms.
3. To conduct phytochemical screening of the
plants.
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