Analysis of Photochemical and Antibacterial Activity of Gooseberry Leaf Extract (Phyllanthus acidus L. Skeels) for Formulation of Fortified Broiler Feed

Abstract

The aim of the research was to assess the phytochemical composition, total flavonoid content and antibacterial activity of Phyllanthus acidus leaf extract (PALE). The study utilized the disc diffusion method to test the in vitro antibacterial properties of the extract against Escherichia coli and Lactic Acid Bacteria. The data collected were analyzed using analysis of variance and significant differences were further analyzed using Duncan's multiple range test. The results of the study showed that PALE contains bio-active compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and steroids. The total flavonoid content was 663.92 µg/ml QE. PALE exhibited statistically significant inhibition zone against both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacterial species compared to the standard antibiotic zinc bacitracin. The extract at 2% concentration produced the highest inhibition zone compared to the 1.5% and 1% concentrations, but its effect was significantly lower than that of the control antibiotic zinc bacitracin. Based on these findings, it was concluded that PALE has the potential to be used as an antimicrobial feed additive in broilers. However, further research is necessary to investigate its efficacy in vivo and to determine its safety and potential side effects.