Antibacterial Activity of Chrysophyllum albidum Plant Extracts Against Some Bacteria Isolated from Diarrhoeic Patients

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the antibacterial activity of Chrysophyllum albidum (African star apple) plant extracts of leaf, stem bark and root against some bacterial isolates from diarrhoeal patients. Both clinical and reference isolates were obtained and used to carry out this research work with the reference isolates serving as positive control. Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity were determined using standard laboratory techniques. The ethanolic root extract was fractionated and the fractions were also tested for antibacterial activities and the most active was screened for phytocompounds. Tannins, saponins, phenols, terpenoids, phytosteroids, steroids and quinones were present while alkaloids, glycosides and phlobatannins were absent in the different plant parts. The ethanolic extract was more effective against both reference and clinical isolates of S. aureus with mean zones of inhibition ranging from 16.0±1.0mm to 26.5±4.5mm, followed by E. coli with zones between 17.0±3.0mm to 24.0±1.0mm. However, S. typhimurium was less susceptible to the extract with mean zones of inhibition ranging from 16.0±1.0mm to 16.0±2.0mm. The ethanolic root extract exhibited the highest activities against both clinical and reference isolates with MICs ranging from 12.5-50mg/ml and MBCs ranging from 50-100mg/ml with MBC/MIC ratio of less than or equal to 4 for four isolates across all six isolates.