Abstract

The prevalence of multiple antibiotics resistance has prompted efforts to explore for more efficacious antimicrobial agents. The extract obtained by boiling the bark ofBridelia ferruginea Benth. is used traditionally for treating oral thrush called ‘Efu’. For this reason the in-vitro effectiveness and range of activities of crude extract obtained by boiling, ripe-stem-bark of Bridelia ferruginea have been carried out. The extract was tested against various microorganisms collected from clinical specimens. Bacterial isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis,Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, and other Candida species were tested for susceptibility using 0.5 McFarland turbidity standards of pure isolates on Mueller Hinton agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. Ditches of 6 mm diameter were made on the media and 0.1 ml (9 drops) of the extract was added to each. For bacterial isolates, 3 or 4 standard antibiotic discs were added for comparison. The zone of inhibition around the extract ranged between 10 - 24 mm in diameter for bacterial and 14 - 25 mm for Candida (fungus). These results led to validate the activity both for fungal and bacterial agents of the crude extract obtained by boiling of the ripe stem bark of B. ferruginea as used traditionally.

Key words: Bridelia ferruginea, boiling, fresh, stem bark, Candida, bacteria.