Antimicrobial properties of the leaf extract of Loranthus Bengwensis (specie of African Mistletoe)

Abstract

Studies were conducted on the antimicrobial activity of the leaf extracts of Loranthus bengwensis (A specie of African Mistletoe), a medicinal plant used in the treatment of several ailments. The leaves of this semi-parasitic plant were obtained from three different host plants at different locations within Kaduna metropolis. The leaf extracts were obtained by soxhlet extraction. Using the in vitro cup plate method of agar diffusion technique, the activity of the leaf extracts was evaluated against viable pure cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp and Escherichia coli. The results showed slight antimicrobial activity of the medicinal plant extract irrespective of the host plant.

Keywords: Loranthus bengwensis, Staphylococcus aureus, Zone of inhibition, Cup-plate method, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)

Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences, Vol. 9 No. 2 (2012)