ABSTRACT

Four microorganisms causing gastroenteritis were used for the study of the antimicrobial effect of Urtica dioica and Phyllanthus niruri extracts.The bacterial pathogens used were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus while the fungal pathogens used were Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger.The solvents used for extraction of active components of the plants(whole plant)were cold water,ethanol,methanol,and acetone extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activities.The antimicrobial activities of cold water,ethanol,methanol and acetone of Urtica dioica and Phyllanthus niruri was evaluated in growth using well and disc diffusion method; against isolated pathogen of E.coli,Staphylococcus aureus,Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans.All extracts established significant antimicrobial activities against tested pathogens.In water extract the inhibition zone against E.coli is in the range of 10.67mm for phyllanthus niruri 13.67mm for Urtica dioica and 14.67mm for phyllanthus niruri and 15.67mm for Urtica dioica in ethanol extract,in  methanol 16.67mm for Urtica dioica and 15.33mm for phyllanthus niruri,in acetone extract is 10.67mm in Urtica dioica and 12.00mm in phyllanthus niruri.In this case,the extract of Urtica dioica caused more inhibition than the phyllanthus niruri.The activities of water extract against Staphylococcus aureus was 9.67mm in Urtica dioica and 13.67mm in phyllanthus niruri by water extract of Urtica dioica plant while the ethanol extract is from 13.67mm for Urtica dioica and 18.67mm for phyllanthus niruri,in methanol 16.67mm in Urtica dioica and 19.33mm in phyllanthus niruri and in acetone is 13.67mm in Urtica dioica and 14.67mm in phyllanthus niruri.In Aspergillus niger the water extrct is 11.67mm for Urtica dioica and 16.67mm for phyllanthus niruri and for methanol extract 15.67mm in Urtica dioica and 15.33mm in phyllanthus niruri.In Candida albicans the water extract is 10.67mm for Urtica dioica and 14.67mm for phyllanthus niruri while ethanol is 17.67mm for Urtica dioica and 20.33mm for phyllanthus niruri.This shows that both ethanol,methanol and acetone extract of phyllanthus niruri is more potent against Staphylococcus aureus,Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans than Urtica dioica plant.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables vii

List of Figures  viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Aims and objectives 3

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature review 4

2.1       Origin of urtica dioica and phyllanthus niruri 4

2.2       Herbs and its uses 7

2.3 Antimicrobial activity 7

2.4 Scientific classification of phyllanthus niruri 8

2.5 Scientific classification of Urtica dioica 9

2.6 Uses and application of phyllanthus niruri 10

2.7      Uses and application of Urtica dioica 11

2.7.1  Application of Urtica dioica                                                                                      12

 2.8 Bacteria 12

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Methods 14

3.1 Materials 14

3.2 Methods 14

3.2.1 Samples Preparation       14

3.3       Preparation of extracts                                                                                            15

3.3.1    Aqueous extract preparation on Uritica dioica 15

3.3.2    Aqueous extract preparation on phyllanthus niruri 15

3.3.3   Ethanol extract preparation on Uritica dioica 16

3.3.4  Ethanol extract preparation on phyllanthus niruri 16

3.3.5    Methanol extract of Uritica dioica 16

3.3.6    Methanol extract of phyllanthus niruri 17

3.3.7    Acetone Extract of Uritica dioica 17

3.3.8    Acetone Extract of phyllanthus niruri                                                                      17

3.4      Test for potency of organisms                                                                                  18

3.5       Culture preparation                                                                                                  18

3.5.1    Agar well diffusion method                                                                                      18

3.5.2    Disc diffusion method                                                                                              19

3.6       Determination of minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)                                    19 

3.7       Phytochemical screening                                                                                          20

3.7.1    Qualitative analysis of phytochemical                                                                      20  

3.7.2    Qualitative determination of the phytochemical                                                      22

3.8       Control experiment                                                                                                  29

3.8.1    ANOVA                                                                                                                    29  

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS                                                                                                          30 

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Discussion                                                                                                                37

5.2 Conclusion                                                                                                              40             

References                                                                                                                              42

Appendix                                                                                                                              46