Antibacterial activity of some Tanzanian medicinal plants

Abstract

Antibacterial activity of acidic, basic and neutral fractions of petrol, ether and chloroform extracts of 39 plant species with a total of 351 fractions is reported. Activity was observed with in 65 (∼19%) of the fractions, mostly in the ether fractions (52%), followed by chloroform fractions (∼35%), while petrol fractions were the least active (∼15%). In sum, ∼52% of the acids/phenols, ∼17% basic and ∼35% of the neutral fractions exhibited activity. None of the aqueous residual fractions showed significant activity.