CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Codiaeum variegatum LEAVES

Abstract

Natural substances of botanical origin have been important in African traditional medical practice. They have been used for various illnesses such as infections. Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria affect many communities and the treatment was made difficult partly because of antibiotic resistant strains. Phytochemicals isolated from medicinal plants are known to be effective in treating bacterial infections. The antibacterial activities of the ethanol and water leaf extracts of Codiaeum variegatum were tested. Antibacterial effects of crude extracts were performed using modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique to determine the zone of inhibition. The extracts were tested for the antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Serratia marcescens). The results demonstrated that both of ethanol and water leaf crude extracts of Codiaeum variegatum have shown strong zone of inhibition against Serratia marcescens (20 mm) and Bacillus subtilis (12 mm) compared to control. This medicinal plant could be developed into affordable and safe standardized herbal products and may serve as a source of new molecules for broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents.