Abstract
The antibacterial effects of Ageratum conyzoides aqueous and alcoholic leaf extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined using spread plate, disc diffusion and tube dilution procedures. The antibiogram profiles of both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were determined using disc diffusion method. The synergistic activity of the mixture of 200 mg/ml leaf extract concentrate and the respective antibiotics; Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin and Septrin against P. aeruginosa and S.aureus was evaluated using both spread plate and disc diffusion methods. The aqueous leaf extract elicited an inhibitory zone diameter of inhibition ranging from 6mm to 10mm for S. aureus; 7mm to 12mm for P. aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa and S.aureus exposed to the methanolic leaf extract displayed zones which ranged from 9mm to 15mm and 10mm to 16mmrespectively. S. aureus was resistant to all antibiotics except for Norfloxacin, Septrin and Ciprofloxacin, while P. aeruginosa was susceptible to ciprofloxacin alone. The synergism between the leaf extracts and the selected antibiotics showed greater inhibitory zones against the test isolates as against exposure to only the selected antibiotics. The results indicated the potential health benefits of the use of antibiotics in combination with decoctions from known medicinal plants.Keywords: Disc diffusion method, antimicrobial activity, A. conyzoides, synergistic action, methanolic extract
Highlights
Aside food, plants are often used as medicine (Iwu, 1986; Ogunkule and Ladejobi 2006)
The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) readings for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa exposed to aqueous leaf extracts were 100 mg /ml and 200mg/ml respectively (Table 2)
The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of aqueous A. conyzoides leaf extract ranged from 50mg/ml for both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa respectively (Table 2), whilst the test bacterial isolates exposed to the methanolic extracts had a MBC value of 100mg/ml respectively (Table 2)
Summary
Plants are often used as medicine (Iwu, 1986; Ogunkule and Ladejobi 2006). Medicinal plants are known to display a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties (Okwu, 2003). Syrup, infusions and concoctions prepared from different part of these plants are utilized in the treatment of different ailments which include; typhoid fever, anemia and malaria (Okwu, 2003). The efficacy of medical plants against ill health is possibly due to certain biological active compounds such as nutrients and phytochemicals which have physiological actions on other living organisms (Okwu and Okwu 2005). A.conyzoides has been utilized for the treatment of burns and wound, headaches, pneumonia, inflammation, asthma, spasmodic and stomach ailments, gynecological diseases, leprosy and other skin disease and as an analgesic (Kamboj and Saluja 2008). Durodola (1977) reported that the methanolic and aqueous extracts of A. conyzoides exhibited inhibitory activities against the in vitro development of S.aureus. The synergistic effect may be due to certain formation of complexes
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