African Journal of
Microbiology Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Microbiol. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0808
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJMR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 5233

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of antibacterial activities of some Nigerian medicinal plants against some resistant bacteria pathogens

Nwakaeze A. E.
  • Nwakaeze A. E.
  • Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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Iroha I. R.
  • Iroha I. R.
  • Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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Ejikeugwu P. C.*
  • Ejikeugwu P. C.*
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B 5025, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
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Afiukwa F. N.
  • Afiukwa F. N.
  • Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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Udu-Ibiam O. E.
  • Udu-Ibiam O. E.
  • Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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Oji A. E.
  • Oji A. E.
  • Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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Agumah B. N.
  • Agumah B. N.
  • Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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Eze E. A.
  • Eze E. A.
  • Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
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  •  Received: 05 September 2013
  •  Accepted: 17 February 2014
  •  Published: 30 April 2014

Abstract

The search for the healing properties of plants is an ancient idea that has remained even till date. In this work, the antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of Corchorus olitorius, Pterocarpus santaliniodes, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Azadirachta indica was tested against resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species and Streptococcus species using agar well diffusion method. The following concentrations of 100, 50, 25 and 12.5 mg/ml of aqueous, ethanol and methanol leaf extracts were used against the test organisms. Results of this study reveal that all the leaf extracts had antibacterial activity against the test organisms at various concentrations (in particular: at 100 and 50 mg/ml) but the aqueous leaf extracts had higher inhibitory effect for all of them. However, little inhibitory effect was observed with the methanol and ethanol leaf extracts. Our findings justify the therapeutic use of these plants by traditional healers in most part of Nigeria for the treatment of infections caused by these bacteria. Medicinal plants have unlimited possibilities to produce putative compounds for the development of novel drugs to curtail the upward trend in bacterial resistance, thus the need for sustained research towards this objective.

Key words: Plant extracts, microorganisms, resistance, herbal medicine, Nigeria.

 

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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