Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of bark extracts of Ficus sycomorus

Abstract

Ficus sycomorus has traditionally been used to treat dysentery and in dressing wounds. The research aimed to screen the phytochemicals and evaluate the antibacterial activities of the extracts using different solvents. The powder sample was extracted by soaking 200 ml of each ethanol and water in it. The ethanol and water extracts were screened for their phytochemical and antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, saponins and terpenoids in both extracts but alkaloids and reducing sugar are present only in the aqueous extract. Anthraquinone was present only in the ethanolic extract. The antibacterial result showed MIC value ranging from 250 – 500 μg/ml and the MBC ranging from 500 – 2000μg/ml. The extracts demonstrated good antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria but ethanolic extract showed less activity when compared with the aqueous extract. The results from the activity of the bark of Ficus sycomorus suggest that it can be used to treat diseases caused by these bacteria.