Abstract Detail

Ethnobotany

Iwuagwu, Mary [1], Okechukwu, Chikodi Lilian [2], Emmanuel, Nneka Constance [2], Obioma, Idinmachukwu Ezinwa [2], Nwaugo, Oluoha Victor [3].

Antimicrobial Analysis and Bioactive Constituents of Methanolic Extracts of Cassia Senna (Senna alexandria Linn) and Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa Linn).

The antimicrobial activity of methanolic extracts of the flowers, leaves and stem of cassia senna and tropical almond against some pathogenic organisms – gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtitles and Staphylococcus aureus), gram-negative bacteria (Escheschia Coli), and Fungi isolates (Aspergillus and Candida albicans) were investigated. The bioactive components of these plants were also determined using GC-MS technique. Four different concentrations of the plants extracts were used ranging from 50 – 200 mg/ml. The results showed that the flowers extracts of these plants had no antimicrobial activity against the test organisms used except for Cassia senna that showed minimal inhibition of S. aureus (5mm) at 200 mg/ml. For the leaves and stem extracts of the two plants, inhibition of the test organisms increased with increase in the concentration of the plant extracts. S. aureus was most susceptible to the leaves and stem extracts of cassia senna with inhibition of 13.3 mm and 17.5 mm, respectively. There was no inhibition of the stem extract of cassia senna against Aspergillus spp. The leaves extract of tropical almond was also most effective against S. aureus (16.0 mm) whereas the stem was most effective against Aspergillus spp (18.0 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) of the leaves and stem extracts of cassia senna were same. It was 1.6 mg/ml, 3.2 mg/ml and 6.4 mg/ml for the gram positive bacteria, gram negative bacteria and the fungi isolates, respectively. The MIC of the leaves and stem extracts of tropical almond followed the same trend as that of cassia senna. Whereas, the MBC/MFC was 1.6 mg/ml for the gram positive bacteria and 3.2 mg/ml for both the gram negative bacteria and fungi isolates. Cassia senna leaves had 20 bioactive compounds with Spartein having the highest concentration (24.93%) while the stem had about 60 bioactive constituents with Docosane 2,21-dimethyl as the major compound (8.29%). Tropical almond leaves had about Twenty five bioactive compounds while the stem had 22. Methenamine with a concentration of 22.72% was the major compound in the leaves of tropical almond while the predominant compound in stem was (R^*, R^*)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-heptanone (20.67%). The results of this study have shown that these plants extracts can be exploited for use in the treatment of infections caused by pathogenic organisms.

1 - Abia State University, Plant Science And Biotechnology, Uturu, Uturu, AB, +234, Nigeria
2 - Abia State University, Uturu, Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Uturu, Abia, +234, Nigeria
3 - Abia State University, Uturu, Department of Microbiology, Uturu, Abia, +234, Nigeria

Keywords:
Antimicrobial
Cassia senna
Tropical almond
Bioactive components
Plant extracts.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: ETH1003
Abstract ID:842
Candidate for Awards:None