Abstract
Four medicinal plants Grewia asiatica L., Caesalpinia bonducella L., Syzigium samarangense (Blume), Asteracantha lonfigolia L. were tested against four bacterial strains; Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Staphyloccocus aureus (ATCC 6538), Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Salmonella typhi (ATCC 23654) and a fungal strain Candida albicans (ATCC 2091) by agar well diffusion method. Amoxicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin and ciprofloxacin were used as standards for antibacterial activity while tioconazole was used as standard for antifungal activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined for each of the plant extracts. Phytochemical evaluations were done for each extracts. The extractions were done using two solvents ethanol and chloroform. Three of the four tested plants show antimicrobial activity for both extracts. Lowest MIC value was recorded against E. coli for chloroform extract of S. samarangense, S. typhi and C. albicans for S. samarangense indicating significant antimicrobial potential of extract. Lowest MBC was found against S. typhi for chloroform extract of C. bonducella. Qualitative phytochemical screening indicates the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, carbohydrates in all plants.
