Inhibitory Effects of Stem Bark Extract of <i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i> (G. Don) against Selected Gastrointestinal Tract Pathogens

Abstract

This study investigated the inhibitory effects of stem bark extract of Chrysophyllum albidum against selected gastrointestinal tract pathogens. Powdered stem bark was cold extracted using methanol and sterile distilled water in ratio 3:2 (v/v). The mixture obtained was concentrated in vacuo using a rotary evaporator and lyophilized. The stem bark extract was screened for antibacterial, phytochemicals and antioxidant properties using standard method. The antibacterial activities were determined using agar well diffusion method while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using agar dilution method. Results obtained indicate that the zones of inhibition shown by the stem bark extract at 10 mg/mL against the bacterial isolates ranged between 10±0.82 mm and 25±0.00 mm. The MICs ranged between 0.31 mg/mL and 5mg/mL while the lowest MIC was 0.31 mg/mL. The MBCs ranged between 0.63 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL while we recorded 0.63 mg/mL as the lowest MBC. The phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, reducing sugar and cardiac glycosides. The antioxidant analysis of stem bark extract showed appreciable antioxidant properties when compared with vitamin C used as control. The stem bark extract exhibited percentage inhibition of 62.80% at a concentration of 15.63 µg/mL while vitamin C exhibited percentage inhibition of 63.53% at the same concentration. This study showed that stem bark extract of Chrysophyllum albidum possessed bioactive compounds that exhibited appreciable antibacterial and antioxidant activities against the gastrointestinal tract pathogens.