Abstract
Context: Salvadora persica L. (Salvadoraceae), Colophospermum mopane (J.Kirk ex Benth.) J. Léonard (Leguminosae) and Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. (Leguminosae) crude extracts are used by local farmers against many livestock infections with little or no side effects usually associated with synthetic antimicrobials. However, their efficacy has rarely been tested.Objective: These plants were tested for potential antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC33862 and Escherichia coli ATCC25922. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the crude plant extracts were determined.Materials and methods: Aqueous and methanol extraction of 100 g each of the bark of C. mopane, roots of D. cinerea and leaves of S. persica was done by placing the samples in 250 mL of either water or methanol. Nutrient broth was used as growth medium for the bacteria, and McFarland standard for bacterial standardization. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazoliumchloride (TTC) was the indicator salt. Each of the aqueous and methanol extracts (100 μL) was tested. Gentamycin and ampicillin were the controls.Results: MIC of aqueous extracts ranged from 1.03–14.6 mg/mL against S. aureus, and from 12.1–34.3 mg/mL against E. coli. Methanol extracts ranged between 5.31 and 9.64 mg/mL against S. aureus, and between 7.86 and 13.6 mg/mL against E. coli. Aqueous and methanol extracts of S. persica were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than C. mopane and D. cinerea.Discussion and conclusion: Colophospermum mopane, S. persica and D. cinerea exhibited antibacterial activity, with methanol extracts performing better than aqueous extracts, justifying use as ethnoveterinary medicine. Further study to isolate the active components should be pursued.
Highlights
Livestock production is an important source of livelihoods to people living in semi-arid areas of Southern Africa that are generally not suitable for crop production
This study seeks to test the antibacterial effect of browse species that are used as ethnoveterinary medicine for livestock health management
Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli were sensitive to the two controls up to one in eight dilutions
Summary
Livestock production is an important source of livelihoods to people living in semi-arid areas of Southern Africa that are generally not suitable for crop production. At the Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) and Malipati Communal Area interface of the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe (SEL), for instance, farmers respond to these grazing shortages by poach grazing their cattle in the park, and in the process accessing traditional medicines and other natural resources. This study seeks to test the antibacterial effect of browse species that are used as ethnoveterinary medicine for livestock health management
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