Phytochemical compounds and antimicrobial activity of extracts of aspilia plant (Aspilia mossambicensis) (Oliv) wild

Abstract

Phytochemical compounds and anti-microbial properties of the methanol extracts of Aspilia mossambicensis (Compositae) were studied between March and April, 2007 at Maseno University, Kenya. The bacterial used for the antimicrobial analysis consisted of clinical strains of Streptococcus pyogenes (gram positive) and Salmonella typhi (Gram negative) bacteria and one strain of fungi (Aspergillus niger). The methanol extract was active against the three microorganisms. Leaves extracts showed greater microbial growth inhibition in comparison to root extracts. The phytochemical screening for the plant leaves and roots of A. mossambicensis revealed the presence of active compounds of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponin, steroids and anthraquinones. The results from the present study have shown that species of Aspilia mossambicensis have considerable activity against the gram negative bacterium Salmonella typhi, gram positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes and one fungal strain Aspergillus niger. Streptococcus pyogenes experienced lesser growth inhibition with root extracts compared to the other two microbes. It is possible that the growth inhibition observed in the study occurred due to presence of different chemical compounds. Absence of aldehydes in roots but not in leaves could explain the greater growth inhibition of S. typhi and A. niger. Pit method was a better method for testing antimicrobial activity than disc method in this study. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.