Screening of some Kenyan Medicinal Plants for Antibacterial Activity.
View/ Open
Date
2010Author
Wagate, Cyrus, G.
Mbaria, James, M.
Gakuya, Daniel W.
Nanyingi, Mark O.
Kareru, P. G.
Njuguna, Anne
Gitahi, Nduhiu
James K. Macharia
Njonge, Francis K.
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Eleven medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Machakos and Kitui District were screened, namely:
Ajuga remota Benth, Aloe secundijlora Engl, Amaranthus hybridus L, Cassia didymobotrya Fes, Croton
macrostachyus Del, Entada leptostachya Harms, Erythrina abyssinica DC, Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv,
Schkuhria pinnata O. Ktze, Terminalia kilimandscharica Engl and Ziziphus abyssinica Hochst for potential
antibacterial activity against four medically important bacterial strains, namely: Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778,
Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Micrococcus lutea ATCC 9341 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853.
The antibacterial activity of methanol extracts was determined as the minimum inhibitory concentration
(MIC). The plant extracts were more active against Gram-positive (G+) than Gram-negative (G-) bacteria.
The positive controls were streptomycin and benzylpenicillin for G- and G+ bacteria, respectively, both had
a significantMIC at <1mglmL. The most susceptible bacteria were B. cereus, followed by M. lutea, while the
most resistant bacteria were Ps, aeruginosa, followed by E. coli. The present study supports the use of these
plants by the herbalists in the management of bacterial ailments. H. abyssinica and T. kilimandscharica
showed the best antibacterial activity; hence these plants can be further subjected to phytochemical and
pharmacological evaluation.
Citation
Phytotherapy Research 24: 150-153 (2010)Publisher
Department of Public Health, Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Nairobi Department of clinical studies, University of Nairobi
Description
Journal article