Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Leaf Extract of <i>Hisbiscus Asper</i> Hook.F (Malvaceae)

Abstract

The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of crude methanolic leaf extract of Hibiscus asper, Hook .F. (Malvaceae) were investigated. Egg-albumen-induced rat hind paw oedema model was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract. The in- vitro antibacterial activity was assessed by agar well diffusion method against clinical bacterial strains, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of glycosides, carotenoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, carbohydrates, resins and reducing sugars. The extract was effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa while the values for their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were 60.07, 34.67 and 52.48 mg/ml respectively. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were not susceptible to the extract. The extract at doses 100 and 400mg/kg significantly (p< 0.05) inhibited the development of egg-albumeninduced paw oedema after three hours and at doses 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg also significantly (P<0.05) inhibited paw oedema after four hours. The extract showed a dose- dependent inhibition of oedema with LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg. The present studies indicate that Hibiscus asper leaf extract has both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities and lend scientific credence to the use of the plant to control veneral diseases, urethritis, painful menstruation and the like in folkloric medicine.

Keywords: Hibiscus asper; leaf; phytochemical constituents, antibacterial; anti-inflammatory activity

Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 9 No 2 pp 43 – 50 (September 2011)