Antibacterial and wound healing properties of methanolic extracts of some Nigerian medicinal plants

This study was conducted to evaluate methanolic extracts of Ageratum conyzoides, Anthocleista djalonensis, Napoleona imperialis, Ocimum gratissimum, and Psidium guajava for antibacterial and wound healing properties. Antibacterial properties of the extracts were studied against eleven wound isolates (Staphylococcus aureus (four strains), E. coli (two strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (one strain), Proteus spp. (three strains), and Shigella spp. (one strain)) using the well diffusion method. Wound healing properties of Ageratum conyzoides, Anthocleista djalonensis, Napoleonaea imperialis, and Ocimum gratissimum were determined using the excision wound model. Extract of Napoleona imperialis inhibited growth of all the test bacterial strains while Psidium guajava and Anthocleista djalonensis extracts prevented growth of 81.8 and 72.7% of the test organisms, respectively. Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum gratissimum extracts did not inhibit growth of any of the test organisms. More than 90% wound healing was recorded in the extract and cicatrin® powder treated groups by 14 days post surgery, where as 72% healing was observed in the distilled water-treated group. The percentage healing in the distilled water-treated group was significantly different (P < 0.001) from those of extract and antibiotic-treated groups.