Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activities of Lannea acida (a. rich) Stem Bark Extract
O. A. Olatunji *
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
C. I. Ihediuche
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
O. W. Bolaji
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
A. O. Akala
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
S. E. Edet
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
A. D. Oladipo
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The persistent resistance of micro-organisms necessitates the need to intensify studies on the use of possible strategies for proper control of pathogens using extracts from natural products. The stem bark of Lannea acida was extracted by two methods of extraction: Cold and Soxhlet (continuous) extraction. The extract of the stem bark was screened to confirm the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and cardiac glycosides in all the samples of ethanol and hexane/acetone/methanol mixture extracts. The phytochemicals examined varied among the stem bark extracts of other solvents (hexane, chloroform, acetone, and methanol). The result of the antimicrobial test shows that the stem bark extracts exhibited efficacy against some microbes (Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) that were employed for the study by exhibiting clear inhibition/clearance zones against these microbes which ranges from 06 mm -21 mm. The plant stem bark could therefore be seen as a potential natural source for useful antimicrobial drugs.
Keywords: Extraction, resistance, solvents, microbes, phytochemicals.