Abstract

Combretum pincianum Hook is a shrub that is wide spread in the tropics. Its leaves are widely used in Africa as herbal remedies for treating typhoid fever, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis and gastrointestinal disorders. Its extract was obtained by cold extraction of its powdered dry leaves in a mixture of methanol and water at the ratio 3:2. The antimicrobial activity of the extract at a concentration of 25 mg/ml was tested against fourteen bacterial isolates using agar well diffusion method. There was inhibition of growth of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cerus, Clostridium sporogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus faecalis. The mean diameter of the zone of inhibition exhibited by the extract against the microbial isolates was between 10 and 20 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration ranged between 0.32 and 25 mg/ml. The extract compared favourably with Streptomycin as standard. The phytochemical analyses of the plant extract review the presence of tannins, alkaloids and saponins.

Key words: Combretum pincianum Hook, antimicrobial, extracts.