Antimicrobial Activities of Some Medicinal Plants from Soba-Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Six medicinal plants commonly used by traditional herbalists for treatment of various microbial infections in soba- Zaria, were collected for a study of their antibacterial activities. The plants studied are: Jacaranda mimosaides (J. mimosaides); Striga hermonthetica (S. hermonthetica); Psidium quajava (P. quajava); Azadiractha indica (A. indica); Citrus lemon; and Indigofera arrecta (I. arrecta).


Crude extracts of the plants were tested against clinical isolates of Salmonella typhis Neisseria gonorrhoea and Shioella dysenteriae. Their minimum inhibition concentration (M.I.C.) were determined by the serial dilution technique.


Crude extracts of the plants were found to have some activity against the test organisms. S. hermothetica used for livestock liver disease showed activity against Shigella dysenteriae at a very low broth dilution.


A. Indica, and J. Mimosaides; showed activity against Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysenteriae at low concentrations. Citrus lemon and I. arrecta did not show activity against any of the test organisms. Some of the results provide scientific evidence for the use of the plants by the traditional herbalists in the treatment of microbial infection.


Nig. Qt. J. Hosp. Med. Vol.12(1-4) 2002: 55-56