Evaluation of In-Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Crude Extract and Solvent Fractions of the Leaves of Justicia Schimperianahochst. Ex Nees(Acanthaceae)
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2017-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Management of infectious diseases has been challenged due to antimicrobial resistance and slow rate of new antimicrobial discovery. Therefore, intensive search has to be conducted on the claimed traditional medicinal plants like Justicia schimperiana which have been used traditionally for wound healing, skin burn and other medicinal purposes. There is a report confirming antibacterial activity of leave extracts of Justicia schimpriana. Based on previousfindings, it was necessary to further investigate antimicrobial activity of the plant. In this study the leaves of Justicia schimperiana was extracted with 80% methanol by maceration. Then, the crude extract was fractionated with solvents of increasing polarity: ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. The antimicrobial activity of the crude extract and solvent fractions was evaluated on eight bacterial (S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, S. typhi, K. pneumoniae, S. flexneri, P. aeruginosa and E. coli) and two fungal (C. albicans and T. mentagrophytes) species using agar well diffusion method with different concentrations (800 mg/ml, 400 mg/ml and 200 mg/ml). Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by broth micro-dilution method. Among the tested bacterial species S. pneumoniae was found to be the most susceptible species with MIC of 1.56 mg/ml. Among the solvent fractions, n-butanol fraction showed strong inhibition with mean zone of inhibition ranging from 16.33mm to 28mm for bacterial species and 18mm to 18.33mm for fungal species at concentration of 200mg/ml. In conclusion, all solvent fractions demonstrated antimicrobial activity and the n-butanol fraction was observed to be more active against the tested microorganisms.
KEY WORDS: Justicia schimpriana, Antibacterial activity, antifungal activity
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Justicia schimpriana; Antibacterial activity; Antifungal activity