ANTIMICROBIAL ASSESSMENT of Icacina trichantha Oliv Leaf Extract

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a major cause of the health and economic burden of inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobials. Antimicrobials are antibiotics used to treat and prevent infections in humans, animals, and plants. The fight against drug resistance (MDR) has cost the world economy the most. Antibiotics, the mainstay and wonder drug of the 20th century, played a crucial role in the treatment of infectious diseases. Antimicrobial resistance is caused by improper, infrequent and irrational use of antibiotics. With 30-50 percent of existing drugs derived from plants, this has led to renewed interest in medicinal plants. The search for new and effective antibacterial compounds from natural sources, such as plants, has become an important part of overcoming this medical problem. I. trichantha has been shown to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties (Asuzu and Abubakar 1995; Asuzu 1999; Eshowbo 2010). However, no information was found about its antibacterial properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether the methanolic extract of Icacina trichantha Oliv. The leaves have antibacterial properties. Fresh leaves of I. trichantha were collected from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, washed, dried and extracted by maceration with distilled water and analytical methanol. Agar well diffusion was used to test the antimicrobial activity of the extracts. Test organisms Salmonella (SH1351) and Escherichia coli (SH70E1) were obtained from the Department of Biotechnology, Mountain Top University, Ibafo, Ogun State, Nigeria. However, the plant extract was ineffective against both test microbes.