Phytochemical and antimicrobial determination of methanolic leaf extract of Azadirachta indica on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Azadirachta indica A Juss, family Meliaceae was first discovered in India but now found in West Africa and Nigeria as ornamental and medicinal plant. The leaves, bark, flower, fruit, seeds and root of Neem plant have industrial products and medical uses especially treatment of malaria, urinary tract infections, asthma, gastro-intestinal upsets, infertility, skin infections, headache, muscular pain,
wounds, ulcers, fever, kidney stones, rheumatism, cardiovascular disease, and as mosquito repellant. Cold extraction was carried out on the pulverized leaves using Analytical grade methanol. Phytochemical determination was carried out using standard procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out with graded concentration of the extract on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus isolates by the modified Kirby-Bauer Agar-well diffusion test. The antibiotics used as controls include Augmentin with concentration of 625mg/ml was diluted to 250mg/ml and 500mg/ml. Zinnath with initial concentration of 500mg/ml was diluted to obtain 125mg/ml. Septrin was diluted to 250mg/ml from initial concentration of 480mg/ml. The results revealed the presence
of phytochemicals such as tannins, saponin, flavonoids, glycosides, reducing sugars, carbohydrate, resins, phenol, steroidal ring, Ammonium acid, carbonyl, cardiac glycoside and terpenes. The antibacterial effect produced by the extract depended on the doses; 600mg/ml (18.5mm), 300mg/ml (15.5mm), 200mg/ml (14.3). The antimicrobial effect produced by the methanolic leaf extract at
600mg/ml (18.5mm) was higher (p<0.05) than that of 200mg/ml (14.3mm). Therefore, Azadirachta indica leaves possessed good antibacterial activity, confirming the potential of its bioactive compounds. Qualitative analysis of the detected phytochemical should be carried out with the view to characterizing the medicinal plant efficiently.