Abstract:
Background: Plant extracts were evaluated on poultry bacteria known to be threatening public health. This is to
develop better bio-therapeutic agents from plant origin.
Methods: Bacteria were isolated from water, feed, crop, gizzard and faeces of layer chicken. Isolates of interest
(Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella oxytoca) were subjected to antibiotic
susceptibility test. Resistant strains were further evaluated against different plant extracts in comparison to Meropenem
(control) using agar diffusion method.
Results: E. coli had the highest occurrence (53 %), followed by P. aeruginosa (25 %) and then S. enteritidis (13 %) while
the least was K. oxytoca (9 %). Virtually all the isolates exhibited multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR) with gross resistance
to Amoxicillin, Erythromycin and Cefuroxine. P. aeruginosa (75 %), S. enteritidis (75 %) and E. coli (63 %), had the highest
MAR. Out of the 11 (100 %) plant extracts evaluated, 7 (64 %) were outstanding and showed varied levels of antibacterial
activity. Specifically, methanol extract of Mangifera indica Julie cultivar leaf (MJLM) had the highest antibacterial activity,
followed by Euadenia trifoliata stem bark (TB03) and Euadenia eminens leaf (TB05). P. aeruginosa was highly susceptible
(81.81 %) to the extracts, followed by S. enteritidis (63.64 %) and then E. coli (27.27 %).
Conclusions: MJLM and other extracts have proven to be promising extracts in which to search for bioactive
components that can be developed into therapeutic drugs. This may help in the management of antibiotic
resistant bacterial isolates from poultry chicken threatening public health.