Journal of
Microbiology and Antimicrobials

  • Abbreviation: J. Microbiol. Antimicrob.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2308
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMA
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 166

Full Length Research Paper

Antimicrobial activity of six selected plants against some strains of pathogenic organisms

  Kasim L. S.1*, Ayodele Olatunde1, Effedua H. I.2, Adejumo O. E.1, Ekor M.3 and Fajemirokun T. O.4
  1Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. 2Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. 3Department of Biological Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ilmowe, Ogun State. 4Department of Clinical and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria
Email: [email protected]; kasim2011lsyahoo.com

  •  Published: 31 March 2011

Abstract

 

Crude ethanolic extracts selected six Nigerian plants based on ethnobotanical reports of their antifungal and antibacterial actions were subjected to phytochemical and antimicrobial screening. All the six plants namely Acalypha fimbriataGlaphae brevis, Vernonia amygdalina, Struchium sparganophora, Celosia argentea and Amaranthus spinosus were screened against strains of Candida albicansTrichophyton metagophyte, Malassezia furfurAspergillus flavus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. The seventy percent (70%) aqueous ethanolic extract of A. finbriata was found to possess greatest activities against the pathogenic fungi; C. albicansT. metagophyte, M. furfur and A. flavus at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50 mg/ml. While V. amygdalina and S. sparganophora showed better antibacterial activity of MIC values of 25 to 50 mg/ml than A. finbriata which exhibited wider spectrum of activity against the three pathogenic bacteria of MIC 100 mg/ml. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins and combined anthraquinones in A. finbriata which justifies its antimicrobial activities as portrayed in this test. The results of this work justify the ethnobotanical uses of these plants in traditional medicine in Nigeria.

 

Key words: Nigerian plants, antimicrobial, phytochemical screening