Antibacterial activity of <i>Colocasia esculenta,/i> leaf extracts against multidrug resistant extended Spectrum β-Lactamase producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>

Abstract

The motivation to test the activities of Colocasia esculenta plant was as a result of its efficacy in treating a wound infected patient. This propels the urge to analyse it scientifically, against MDR-ESBL isolates. Clinical wound isolates of K. pneumoniae and E. coli were collected from Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital (MMSH) and screened for MDR and ESBL. Methanol and Aqueous leaf extracts of Colocasia esculenta were subjected for phytochemical analysis, and Bioassay using disc diffusion method at a concentration of disc potency of 480, 240, 120, 60 and 30μg/disc. The Minimum Inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of the extracts were determined. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of different phytoconstituents. Out of the 220 isolates collected, 85(38.6%) of all the isolates were confirmed MDR, with 45(40.9%) E. coli and 40(36.4%) K. pneumoniae. Prevalence of MDR-ESBL isolates was 24(10.9%), with 15(13.6%) and 9(8.2%) for E. coli and K. pneumoniae respectively. The Highest Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index was 0.88. The extracts were observed to have varying activity against the isolates, with an increase in activity as the concentration increases. The MIC and MBC values were within the ranges of 120 to 960μg/ml and 480 to 960μg/ml respectively. Among the two extracts, higher activity was recorded by the methanol extracts, showcasing the possibility of better chemotherapeutic outcome in the treatment of MDR-ESBL infections. This study has shown the increase in the occurrence of MDR-ESBL pathogens in Kano with resistance to some commonly used antibiotics.