Phytochemical Screening and Anti-Tb Activity of Root Extracts of Guiera senegalensis (J. F. Gmel)

Abstract

The root of Guiera senegalensis is thought to possess medicinal properties according to Nigerian folklore. This study was undertaken to appraise the phytochemical constituents from polar and non-polar extracts (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) and anti-tuberculosis activities. Data obtained revealed that saponin and tannin appear as the only phyto-compounds in hexane extract, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, tannins and terpenoids were detected in the ethyl acetate fraction while alkaloids, cardenolides, flavonoids, phlobatanins, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids were detected in the methanol extracts. Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) used for sensitivity study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with 10µg/ml rifampicin revealed that the methanol extract from the root of Guiera senegalensis gave 22.71 ± 0.47 mm zone of inhibition whereas the ethyl acetate extract gave a 7.23 ± 1.35 mm zone of inhibition in comparison to 33.70 ± 0.64 mm obtained from the control. The minimal inhibitory content (MIC) of the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts were recorded at 2.8 ± 1.52 and 40.01 ± 1.20, while that of rifampicin was 0.38 ± 1.40. The n-hexane extracts did not show any inhibition. The results obtained suggested that the root of the studied plant possess anti-tuberculosis activities with the major activity tailored to the phyto-constituents from the methanol extracts.