Phytochemical and Anti-microbial Study of Seventy Percent Methanol Leaf Extract of Terminalia microptera against Selected Pathogenic Bacteria

Abstract

The phytochemical and antimicrobial activity of Terminalia microptera leaf methanol (70%) crude extract was determined against some selected pathogenic microorganisms using the qualitative phytochemical, tube dilution and agar well diffusion methods respectively. The results of the phytochemical analysis shows that all the phytochemicals analysed for were present; these include alkaloid, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinons, sterols, phlobatanins and terpenes. All organisms screened were found to be sensitive to the extract at all the concentrations. Klebsiella pneumoniae was more susceptible to the extract with mean zones of inhibitions of 24.33±0.88, 29.33±0.33 and 33.33±0.88 for 20, 30 and 40 mg/ml respectively followed closely by Streptococcus pyogenese and Salmonella typhi with mean zones of inhibitions of 17.67±0.88, 25.00±0.58 & 28.67±0.88 and 17.00±0.58, 18.33±0.67 & 21.33±0.67 respectively while Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus mutans sensitivity were seen to be on the lower side with mean zones of inhibitions of 15.67±0.33, 18.67±0.88 and 17.33±0.67 respectively at 40 mg/ml. In the same vein, Klebsiella pneumoniae had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.25 mg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentration of 10 mg/ml i.e, it is more susceptible to the plant extract while Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mutans, Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi C were more resistant to the extract with MIC of 10 mg/ml. The result of this study shows that extracts from Terminalia microptera had antimicrobial activity against the test organisms and therefore can be used to develop drugs that can be used to treat infections caused by these organisms.