Antibacterial screening of Five Nigerian Medicinal Plants Against S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi

Abstract

The water and ethanol extracts of five Nigerian medicinal plants: Enantia chlorantha, Terminalia avicennioides, Momordica balsamina, Morinda lucida and mangifera indica used traditionally in treating several ailment of both microbial and non- microbial origins were tested on clinical isolates of salmonella typhi and S. paratyphi. Enantia chlorantha and mangifera indica were tested on these pathogens while the extracts of T avicennioides, M balsamina and M. Lucida were found to have antibacterial activity on the typhoid and paratyphoid bacilli, (S.typhi and paratyphi). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts were 2.4mg /ml and 24.0mg/ml and 33.0mg/ml for T avicennioides respectively. Both the aqueous and alcohol extract of T. avicennioides and M. balsamina were active against S. typhi and S.paratyphi whereas only the aqueous extract of M. lucida inhibits the growth of these bacilli. The potentials of these plants for the treatment of typhoid fever in Nigeria were herein discussed.


(J. of the Nigerian Association of Infection Control, 2000, 3(1): 30-33)