Chemical characterization and antimicrobial activity of Loranthus micranthus Linn leaves

Abstract

The leaves of Loranthus micranthus Linn on shear butter tree was harvested in Suleja Nigeria for phytochemical screening, antioxidant activities, antimicrobial properties and proximate analyses. [F1] The crude ethanol extract of L. micranthus was observed for its antimicrobial activities at various concentrations (60, 30 and 15 µg/disc) using agar diffusion method, and was tested on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyhi-1, Klebbsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis and the results documented. Gradient extractions of ethanol (A), petroleum-spirit (B) and ethyl acetate (C) [F2] extracts were screened for phytochemical analysis and the result for ethanol extract showed positive results for tannins, glycosides, saponins, phenols, cardiac glycosides, phlobatanins, volatile oil, steroids and balsams; petroleum spirit extract indicated positive result for tannin, phenols, alkaloids, cardenolides, terpenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, resins, and volatile oil. While ethyl acetate extract indicated positive results for tannins, phenols, alkaloids, cardenolides, terpenoids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, resins, and balsams. The anti-oxidant activities of the crude ethanolic extract of the leaves also showed positive results when compared with the ascorbic acid standard as the percentage inhibition of the extract increase as concentrations of the extract decreases relative to the standard. Proximate analysis results indicated that moisture content contain 6.497%, ash content 11.67%, crude fibre 19.54%, crude fibre 19.54%, crude protein 1.487%, crude fat 11.04 and carbohydrate 49.76%. Key words: Loranthus [F3] micranthus Linn, phytochemical, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant properties, proximate.