Antibacterial Activity Of Bowstring Hemp (Sansevieria Liberica) Against Pathogenic Bacteria

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