Activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum S. Kurz extracts on respiratory tract pathogenic bacteria

Abstract

Ethanol extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum (commonly known as ‘Shuka halinka’ or ‘Karan masallachi’ in Hausa) (BP1) was partitioned into n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous methanol soluble fractions and labeled BP1–01, BP1–02, BP1–03 and BP1–04 respectively. These fractions were subjected to antibacterial testing against respiratory tract pathogenic bacteria. The n-hexane soluble fraction showed activity against the selected microorganism with highest on Staphylococcus aureus (12mm), Klebsiella pneumonia (11mm) and Salmonella typhi (08mm); ethyl acetate soluble fraction showed mild activity against Escherichia coli (06mm), Staphylococcus aureus (07mm) and Salmonella typhi (07mm), at 10mg/ml. The n-hexane soluble fraction was subjected to activity guided column chromatography. This leads to isolation of three bioactive compounds: BP1-01-01, BP1-01-33 and BP1-01-65. The activity of this plant’s extracts against the test bacteria coupled with the various phytochemical compounds present in the fractions is a pointer to the plant’s potential as a source of drugs that can be used against respiratory tract pathogens. Keywords: Bryophyllum pinnatum, respiratory tract pathogens, phytochemical screening, antibacterial activity