In vitro Inhibition of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Some Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Some Nigerian plants used in traditional medicine to treat tuberculosis and/or some of its symptoms were screened for in vitro activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis and a clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Only 3 of the 6 crude methanolic extracts of the 6 plant species exhibited inhibitory activities against M. smegmatis, while 5 inhibited the growth of M. tuberculosis. Three and four water extracts inhibited M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis, respectively. Both methanol and water extracts of Artemisia annua, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Piper guiniense showed inhibitory activities against the two Mycobacteria. Methanol extracts of Anogeissus leiocarpus and Piper guiniense exhibited the highest activity against M. tuberculosis with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.1 mg/ml.

Key Words: Nigerian medicinal plants, Mycobacterium species, Inhibition

East & Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol.6(1) 2003: 15-19