ANTIBACTERIA ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS TRADITIONALLY USED IN TREATMENT OF STOMACH COMPLICATIONS

Abstract

An emerging of antibiotic resistance strains of bacteria brings most serious public health problems. It is therefore, important to look for more effective, safer and less toxic alternative options of treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate antibacterial activities of Harrisonia abyssinica, Leucas spp., Solanum incanum, Hydnora johanis, Croton macrostachyus and Ocimum lamiifolium against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus feacalis. Disc diffusion method for antimicrobial activity test and broth dilution method for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination have been followed. The result revealed that ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of the plants had showed better antibacterial activity than aqueous, acetone and chloroform extracts against E. coli, S. typhi, S. aureus and E. feacalis. Relatively, the ethanol extract of H. johanis and H. abyssinica; the ethyl acetate extract of H. abyssinica and S. incanum; and the acetone extract of S. incanum had showed good antimicrobial activity on all tested bacteria. The ethyl acetate and acetone extract of O. lamiifolium and the ethyl acetate extract of C. macrostachyus also demonstrated good antimicrobial activity on S. aureus. Compared with standard antibiotics; most active crude extracts were showed comparative antimicrobial effect as do standard antibiotics (penicillin, ampicillin and tetracycline). The extract demonstrated least MIC value of 1.56 mg/ml with ethanol extract of S. incanum and Leucas spp. against S. aureus, with ethyl acetate extract of S. incanum against S. typhi and with acetone extract of H. johanis against E. coli and S. typhi. Phytochemicals such as steroids, tannins, saponin, flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenoids were identified compounds in most tested plants. Over all, this study proves the scientific basis for the traditional use of the plants as antimicrobial agent for the treatment of infections caused by E. coli, S. typhi, S. aureus and E. feacalis.