ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Costus afer AND Dialium guineense ON SOME PATHOGENS

ABSTRACT 

The antimicrobial activities of Costus afer and Dialium guineense extracts were tested against Staphylococcus aureus¸ Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi using disc agar diffusion technique. The ethanol extracts from both plants inhibited the growth of all the organisms used in this study except Salmonella typhi. It was further shown that the sensitivity of the organisms to the extracts did not only vary from one organisms to another but also in concentrations used. The most sensitive organism to Costus afer and Dialium guineense extract was Staphylococcus aureus, while the least was Escherichia coli. The inhibition zone measured 21.3 ± 1.13mm, 11.0 ± 1.73mm, 14.3 ± 2.08 and 19.3 ± 2.08mm against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively at concentration of 100mg/ml. Thus while Staphylococcus aureus has the highest sensitivity, Escherichia coli has the least to Costus afer extract. The inhibition zones produced by Dialium guineense was 22.0 ± 3.16mm, 20.0 ± 4.36mm, 20.3 ± 2.08mm and 18.0 ± 2.00mm against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia  coli, Enterococcus faecalis and  Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively at 100mg/ml concentration. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of extract of Costus afer was 12.5mg/ml, 25mg/ml, 12.5mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively Dialium guineense produced Minimuim Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values of 12.5mg/ml, 25mg/ml, 25mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. The result showed that the ethanol extracts of the plants produced appreciable inhibitory activity against the test organisms. These result support further research into the properties of the chemical substances producing these effects. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgements ﾿ iv

Table of Contents ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ vii

List of Figures ﾿ viii

List of Plates ﾿ ix

Abstract ﾿ x

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 ﾿ Introduction ﾿ 1

1.1 ﾿ Aims and Objectives ﾿ 4

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 ﾿ Literature Review ﾿ 5

2.1 ﾿ Phytomedicine ﾿ 5

2.1.1 ﾿ Characteristics of Phytomedicine ﾿ 6

2.1.2 ﾿ The Demand and Phytomedicine ﾿ 6

2.2 ﾿ Therapeutic Benefits ﾿ of Phytomedicine ﾿ 7

2.3 ﾿ Plants with Medicinal Properties ﾿ 9

2.4 ﾿ Costus afer ﾿ 10

2.5 ﾿ Dialium guineense ﾿ 14

2.6 ﾿ Major group of Antimicrobial Compounds from Plants ﾿ 19

CHAPTER THREE

3.0. ﾿ Material and Method ﾿ 23

3.1 ﾿ Collection and Identification of Plant Material ﾿ 23

3.2 ﾿ Processing and Extraction of Plant Material ﾿ 23

3.3 ﾿ Antimicrobial Testing ﾿ 24

3.4 ﾿ Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of Plant Extracts  ﾿ 25

3.5 ﾿ Phytochemical Analysis ﾿ 26

3.5.1 Qualitative Evaluation ﾿ 26

3.5.2 ﾿ Quantitative Determination ﾿ 27

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 ﾿       Result ﾿ 31

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 39

5.2 ﾿ Recommendation ﾿ 40

5.3 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 40

References ﾿ 41

Appendix ﾿ 47 

LIST OF TABLES