Antibacterial Effects of Garcinia Kolanut Extracts on Ocular Bacterial Isolates in Lagos

Abstract

The is a prospective study of six month duration, March 1995 to August 1995. The aim of the study is to evaluate the antibacterial activities of the extracts of Garcinia kola nuts on common bacteria isolated from ocular discharges of eye clinic patients, in the Guinness Eye Centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Following some study on laboratory animals at the College of Medicine University of Lagos using water extracts of the nuts to show anti-glaucomatous activities as claimed by an octogenarian, another probable antibacterial activity of the same extract was highlighted after accidental instillation of the same improved redness of the eyes.

Common ocular bacterial micro-organisms were isolated from wet conjunctival swabs obtained from 95 clinic consecutive patients with purulent ocular discharges, at the Guinness Eye Centre of the – LUTH. Study was non-invasive. Swabs were sent to the micro-biologist for microscopy, culture and sensitivity assay patients were treated with orthodox antibiotics according to sensitivity results. The inhibitions of the isolated organisms by the extracts of Garcinia kola nuts were observed, measured and recorded.
Two methods of extractions were used. The first extraction is distilled water compared effects with those in methanol extract. The second in distilled water compared with effects of a known broad spectrum antibiotic, ciprofloxacin (ciproxin).

The water extract had strong inhibitory activities on Escherchia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, proteus mirabilis. There was a better statistical difference p>0.5%. The methanol extract only inhibited staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa better. Both extracts inhibited staphylococcus albus equally. When the effects of the 5% of the water extract was compare with that of 0.05% ciprofloxacin there was no statistical difference p<0.5%. These result give evidence of some antibacterial activities in Garcinia kola nut extracts and is obvious that more still need to be done to isolating and characterizing the active constituents. The use of such products locally should impact positively on foreign exchange drain in the country.


NQJHM Vol. 14 (1) 2004: pp. 107-111