Antimicrobial Effects of Acacia nilotica and Vitex doniana on the Thermophilic Campylobacter Species

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the in vitro activity of the extracts of Acacia nilotica and Vitex doniana against Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, and C. laridis isolated from sheep in Zaria and Kaduna. Water and ethanol crude extracts of Acacia nilotica and Vitex doniana were tested on the thermophilic Campylobacter species. The results obtained show that ethanol extract of Acacia nilotica had minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) of 80 mg/ml, while water extract of the same plant gave an MIC of 250mg/ml. However, ethanol extracts of Vitex doniana had no inhibitory effects on the Campylobacter species tested. A. nilotica and Vitex doniana were used at concentrations ranging from 2 to 200mg/ml of the extracts. Ethanol extract of A. nilotica at concentration of 200mg/ ml and 20mg/ml had inhibitory diameters zone of 6mm and 4mm respectively. Water extract of the same plant at concentrations of 200mg and 20mg had diameters of only 2mm and 1 mm respectively. There was very little or no inhibitions with Vitex doniana water and ethanol extracts. The emergence
of Campylobacter strains resistant to most common antibiotics highlights the need to explore new methods for therapeutics against Campylobacter infections. This study has demonstrated that extracts of Acacia nilotica show antibacterial activities against Campylobacter species isolated from sheep in Zaria and Kaduna.


(Af. J. of Science and Technology: 2002 3(2): 9-13)