Anti- tuberculosis activities of medicinal plants used in the treatment of tuberculosis in HIV patients in Nigeria

Abstract

Local herbalists in Nigeria claimed that extracts of certain parts, that is, stem and seeds obtained from Crinum glaucum,Treculia africana, Erythrina mildbaedi, Ficus thonningii and Xylopis aethiopica are used to treat tuberculosis patients. We conducted a laboratory-based study of this claim scientifically using the procedures employed by the local herbalists. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain used in this study was obtained locally and characterized based on cultural and biochemical tests on isolates of bacteriologically proven tuberculosis positive patients. The M. tuberculosis strains were found resistant to all the extracts. There was no growth on the isoniazid drug containing medium which was used as control. There was growth on all the LJ medium containing the extracts. The results of these findings shows that the extracts of these plants exhibited no significant anti-microbial activity against M. tuberculosis and therefore not recommendable for clinical use as an anti-tuberculosis drug. Key