Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activities of Crude Extracts of Cochlospermum planchonii Leaves

The antibacterial activities of the methanolic, hot water, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of Choclospermum planchonii leaf were tested against some clinical bacterial isolates and reference organisms. The phytochemical screenings of the extracts were also carried out. The leaf extracts of the plant exhibited antibacterial activities against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, and Salmonella typhii and reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 28923), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853. The methanolic leaf extracts exhibited the highest antibacterial activity, its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging between 0.31 and 1.25 mg/ml; and its zones of inhibition on the various test microorganisms ranging between 8mm and 13 mm. The petroleum ether extracts had the weakest antibacterial activity, its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging between 2.50mg/ml and 5.00mg/ml and its inhibition zone ranging between 4mm and 8mm. The phytochemical constituents present in the plant were alkaloids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and sterols. The methanolic extracts of the leaf exhibited potentially biological activity than other extracts. This indicates that the plant leaf could be useful in the treatment of human infections caused by these pathogens. The antibacterial activities of the methanolic leaf extract may be attributed to the presence of bioactive compounds.