Short Communication: Antigonorrheal Activities of Some Traditionally Used Ethiopian Medicinal Plants

Abstract

The in vitro antigonorrheal activity of the seeds of Acacia nilotica (L.) willd.ex Del, the stem bark of Croton macrostachyus Del., the roots of Cucumis pustulatus Naud.ex Hook. f, the roots of Foeniculum vulgare Miller, and leaves of Withania sommnifera (L.) Dunal were studied using the agar dilution method. Different concentrations of the 80% methanol and aqueous extracts, and the chloroform and aqueous fractions of the 80% methanol extracts were tested against clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Significant antigonorrheal activity was exhibited by the 80% methanolic extracts of all plants whereas the aqueous extracts failed to show any activity. Furthermore, chloroform fractions of the hydroalcoholic extracts were seen to be more active as compared to their respective aqueous fractions. The findings of the study support the popular use of the plants in the Ethiopian traditional medicine for the treatment of gonorrea.

Keywords: in vitro antigonorrheal activity, medicinal plants, hydroalcholic extracts, agar dilution method, Neisseria gorrhoeae

Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Journal Vol. 26 (1) 2008: pp. 65-68