ABSTRACT 

 The antibacterial investigation  of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Sansevieria liberica carried out in this study, involved the determination of the sensitivity pattern  and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration of the dried leaf extracts against four pathogenic bacteria. Also phytochemical tests were carried out to determine the secondary metabolites present in the extracts. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts were screened for antibacterial activity, the ethanolic extract exhibit antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli) bacteria which were comparable to that of chloramphenicol, while the aqueous extract showed no activity. Phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract showed the presence of various bioactive substances such as, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and tannins. The minimum inhibitory values for the ethanolic extract (12.5-50 mg/ml) where higher (indicating lower activity) than the corresponding  control drug (0.45-0.55 mg/ml) which was lower(indicating higher activity), probably because of slow diffusion rates of the active constituents of the extract in agar.This results from this study showed that the dried leaves of Sansevieria liberica possess antibacterial activity.   

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgments iv

Table of content v

List of tables                                                                         vii

List of figures                                                                                                                         viii            

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE

 Introduction 1

1.1  Background of study 1

1.2  Objectives of the study 3

1.3  Significance of the study 3

1.4  Statement of problem 3

CHAPTER TWO

 Literature Review 4

2.1  Origin and description of Sansevieria liberica 4

2.2  Ecology of Sansevieria liberica 4

2.3  Phytochemical constituents and chemical compositions 5

       of Sansevieria liberica

2.4  Classification of some phytochemicals 5

2.5  Indigenous uses of Sansevieria liberica 8

2.6  Therapeutic uses of Sansevieria liberica 8

2.7  Prospects of Sansevieria liberica 9

2.8  Molluscicidal activity 9

2.9  Pathogenesis of test organisms 9

CHAPTER THREE

 Materials and Methods 13

3.1  Sample collection and identification 13

3.2  Test organisms 13

3.3  Extraction  13

3.4  Qualitative phytochemical screening 14

3.5  Biochemical test 15

3.6  Determination of antibacterial activity 16

3.7  Agar well diffusion method 16

3.8  Determination of minimum inhibitory concentration 16

CHAPTER FOUR

Results 18

4.1  Yield of extracts 18

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation 25

5.1  Discussion 25

5.2  Conclusion 26

5.3  Recommendation 27

References