Antimicrobial and phytochemical screening of the methanolic leaf extract of <i>buchholzia coriacea</i> (wonderful cola)

Abstract

Aqueous infusion of the leaf extract of Buchholzia coriaceae is used in the treatment of infections like cough, wound and diarrhea. In vitro antimicrobial activity of crude extract of leaves of B. coriacea were evaluated against four reference bacteria (S. aureus, B. subtilis, E. coli, K. spp) and one reference fungus (C. albicans ). Gentamicin and tioconazole were used as control. The leaves were harvested, dried, pulverized and extracted by process of cold maceration using the polar solvent methanol. The parameters evaluated included phytochemical constituents, extraction yield and antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion method. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, reducing sugars, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins and cardiac glycosides. The extract was found to have broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity that was comparable to that of gentamicin and tioconazole. This justifies the folkloric use of the plant as an antimicrobial agent.