Abstract
Results from the in vitro evaluation of the antibacterial and antifungal activities of six plant extracts indicated that the aqueous and the methanol extracts of Acalypha wilkesiana leaves and Ageratum conyzoides leaves exhibited good and efficient antifungal activity against Candida albicans with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 31.25 µg/ml and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 62.5 µg/ml) while the methanol extract from Pentaclethra macrophylla inhibited the yeast growth with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of 62.5 and 125 µg/ml respectively. The aqueous extracts from Acalypha wilkesiana, Ageratum conyzoides, Buccholzia tholoniana seeds, Gulboutia demeusei root and the aqueous and methanol extracts from Pentaclecthra macrophylla stem bark showed good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella thyphimurium, Stahylococcus aureus and Shigella flexneri with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 62.5 µg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 125 µg/ml according to the case. These results partly support and justify the traditional use of these plant extracts for treating infections in traditional medicine. Key words: Plant extracts, antibacterial, antifungal, infections.
Highlights
Bacteria’s are responsible for serious and various human and animal infections
Intestinal disorders are caused by bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia dysenteriae, Escherichia coli and Salmonella species especially diarrhoea as a major cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries (Chitemerere and Makangangama, 2011)
The six medicinal plants chosen for this study are commonly used for the treating diverse infections in traditional medicine in Kinshasa according to the daily practices of interviewed traditional healers and the literature data
Summary
Bacteria’s are responsible for serious and various human and animal infections. For example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common bacteria in clinics with significant percentage of acquired infections Crude extracts prepared from medicinal plants as infusion, decoction, macerate, tincture or powder are traditionally used by the population to treat various diseases infections from different origins Their efficacy and mechanism of action have not been scientifically elucidated in most cases, these different medicinal preparations often give beneficial response to human and animal due to the presence of active compounds (Barnes et al, 2007). In this present study, six medicinal plants belonging to different botanical families were selected and evaluated in vitro for their potential antibacterial and antifungal properties. Their minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by dilution method when compared to the reference antibacterial and antifungal products
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