Antibacterial and phytochemical screening of <i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> (jujube/magarya) leaf extract in Kaduna Metropolis

Abstract

Ziziphus jujuba from the family of Rhamnaceae is widely distributed in both tropical and subtropical countries. Different parts of the plant have been used traditionally for several biological purposes including fungal and antibacterial and antidiarrheal. This study was aimed to assess the antibacterial activity of Ziziphus jujuba leaf extract against bacteria isolated from vaginal swab. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the leaves extract of Ziziphus jujuba was carried out using standard analytical methods. The aqueous and ethanol extracts of Ziziphus jujuba leaf were screened for antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli isolated from vaginal swabs using agar well diffusion and broth dilution assay. The results of the phytochemical constituents revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, tannins, phenols, cardiac glycosides, and terpenes in the ethanol extract while alkaloids, steroids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, phenols, and saponins were present in the aqueous extract. The inhibitory zones of the ethanol extract against S. aureus ranged between 13.00- 15.00 mm while that of E. coli ranged between 7.00- 10.00 mm at 50 and 100 (mg/ml) respectively. The inhibitory zone of the aqueous extract against the clinical isolates of S. aureus ranged from 9.00- 11.00 and 6.00-8.00 (mm) for E. coli at 50 and 100 (mg/ml) respectively. However, S. aureus was more susceptible to the extract with an MIC of 100 mg/ml. The observed inhibitory activities of the leaf extract against the clinical isolates could be due to phytochemical constituents present in the plant extracts of Ziziphus jujuba.