<i>In vitro</i> evaluation of the antimicrobial properties of <i>Mallotus oppositifolium</i> decoction leaf extracts and fractions

Abstract

In order to verify the in vitro antimicrobial properties of Mallotus oppositifolium (Euphorbiaceae), the qualitative phytochemical screening and the antimicrobial activities on Shigella dysenteriae A2, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphyllococcus aureus and Candida albicans strains of the aqueous decoction (DEMO) hexane (HEMO) and methanol (MEMO) fractions of leaves were assessed. The screening was performed using colorimetric methods. The antimicrobial activity was carried out using disc diffusion assays. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by the dilution methods. The screening revealed the presence of metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins, lipids, carbohydrates, mucilages, proteins, triterpens and steroids. DEMO, HEMO, MEMO showed a concentration-dependent activity against Shigella dysenteriae A2 and Salmonella typhi, with inhibition zone ranging from 9.44±0.44 to 19.00±0.24 mm, 8.94±0.05 to 20.03±0.17 mm and 8.13±0.17 to 16.76±0.11 mm respectively. The MIC showed ranges from 0.25 to 1.00 mg.mL^-1, 0.20 to 0.50 mg.mL^-1 and 1.00 to 3.00 mg.mL^-1, while the MBC ranged from 1.00 to 5.00 mg.mL^-1, 0.50 to 1.00 and 3.00 to 10.00 mg.mL^-1 respectively. The leaves decoction and fractions activity on the two strains showed promising activities to justify the use of the plant against diarrhoea in folk medicine.

Keywords: Folk medicine, phytochemical analysis, Mallotus oppositifolium diarrhea, antimicrobial.