Abstract
A methanolic crude extract of Parkia biglobosa was prepared and later partitioned in succession with different solvents of increasing polarity ranging from n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate to butanol. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, glycoside and sugars. The inhibition zones exhibited by the extract against the tested bacteria ranged between 14 ± 0.00 mm (against Escherichia coli) and 28 ± 0.71 mm (against Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The MIC of the methanolic extract of P. biglobosa against isolates ranged between 0.63 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL, while the MIC values exhibited by the n-hexane and aqueous fractions ranged between 0.63 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL. Overall the extract and fractions of P. biglobosa used in this work were found to possess antimicrobial properties which compared favourably with those of streptomycin. These observations make this plant a potential source of bioactive compounds that can be used in management of bacterial infections. The use of this plant as herbal medicaments in African countries and the reports on the toxicity of the plant further show that the plant is non-toxic to humans.
Highlights
The problem of infectious microorganisms which were thought to have been controlled by antibiotics has led to re-emergence of more virulent microorganisms in a new form of resistant strains [1,2]
Phytochemical screening of the methanolic extract of P. biglobosa stem bark showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, glycoside and sugars (Table 1)
The lowest zones of inhibition were exhibited by the n-hexane fraction against E. coli and E. faecalis, while P. aeruginosa showed the highest zone of inhibition
Summary
The problem of infectious microorganisms which were thought to have been controlled by antibiotics has led to re-emergence of more virulent microorganisms in a new form of resistant strains [1,2]. The problem makes it mandatory for mankind to seek new antimicrobial agents and/or new effective ways of treating infectious diseases caused by microorganisms such as the drug resistant bacteria [3]. One of the possible basic approaches to cure and control infections caused by multiple drug resistant (MDR) strains of bacteria is to explore the medicinal properties of herbs and higher plants. Medicinal plants have been used for centuries as remedies for human diseases and have provided new sources of chemical compounds with biological activity as antimicrobial agents [5]. Parkia biglobosa is a plant that has shown potential as a source of chemotherapeutic compounds [13,15], while many folkloric and ethnobotanical applications of this plant have been reported. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, and preliminary antibacterial potential of the stem bark of the plant
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