A study on the efficacy of extracts of Boerhavia diffusa L on bacterial isolates of finger tip infections (whitlow)

Abstract

This research was conducted to determine the efficacy of crude extract of Boerhavia diffusa L (BHD L) on bacterial isolates of fingertip infection (Whitlow). Seventeen patients with whitlow were studied within 18 months and swabs of active fingertip infections were taken from the patients at Crossing-Kachia in Kaduna State for analysis at the microbiology laboratory of Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State Nigeria. Associated bacteria were isolated and identified using standard microbiological and biochemical tests. The isolates were tested against extracts of BHD L and commercially available antibiotics using the Kirby Bauer agar well diffusion method. Phytochemical analysis was also conducted in order to determine the bioactive compounds in BHD L that may be responsible for its effectiveness in treatment. The results showed that more males (76.5%) were affected while the mean age of people affected was 28.6years. The predominant causative agent was Staphylococcus epidermidis (89.5%) while Staphylococcus epidermidis confirmed its resistance to commercial antibiotics, hence difficulty of treatment of whitlow with orthodox medicines. Similarly, extracts of BHD L had no antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Thus, the efficacy of BHD L on the isolates of fingertip infections may be due to some other reasons yet unknown.

Keywords - Antibacterial activity, Antibiotics, Efficacy, Photochemical, Whitlow.