Preliminary Phytochemical Analysis and Antimicrobial Properties of Crude Extract of Combretodendron macrocarpum Stem Bark

ABSTRACTThe antimicrobial properties of the tree bark extract of Combretodendron macrocarpum using different solvents were investigated. Extracts of C. macrocarpum were prepared using hot water, cold water, diethyl ether and dilute hydrochloric acid (0.02M). The extracts were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella pnuemoniae using well-diffusion method. The plant extracts of dilute HCl and diethyl ether exerted the highest zone of inhibition against all the test microorganisms with S. aureus (29.9 mm) and K. pneumoniae (27.5 mm). The diethyl ether extract exerted the highest effect against P. aeruginosa (21.9 mm) and K. pneumoniae (21.8 mm) with no effect on E. coli. The cold water extract was not active on any of the bacterial pathogens tested at any of the concentrations of the extract used. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value of the hot water extract was lowest for E. coli (31.25mg/ml) and K. pneumoniae (62.5 mg/ml), and the dil. HCl extract also showed a low MIC against P. aeruginosa (31.25mg/ml). Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponin, steroids, tannins and terpenoids. These results therefore support and encourage the use of C. macrocarpum stem bark for the treatment of conditions that may be of bacterial etiology.