In vitro Activities of Methanol Extracts of
Some Plants Used as Herbal Remedies

Joseph A.O. Olugbuyiro; Jones O. Moody; Mark T. Hamann

Abstract

In vitro Activities of Methanol Extracts of Some Plants Used as Herbal Remedies

Seven different plants from Nigerian herbs were investigated for antiinfective properties. The plant crude extracts, obtained by maceration with methanol, were subjected to array of antimicrobial screening tests. Antimycobacterial susceptibility of M. tuberculosis (H37Rv strain) was performed by Alamar Blue Assay. The results showed Spondias mombin and Anacardium occidentale to have 68 and 63% inhibition respectively against P. aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). The secondary test on the S. mombin extract against P. aeruginosa had IC50 of 37.32μg/ml. Two EtOAC-MeOH soluble fractions of exhibited good antimicrobial activities. One fraction (AOF9) exhibited antifungal activity against Candida glabrata with IC50 value of 9.0μg/ml while the other fraction (AOF8) showed antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with IC50 value of 28.3μg/ml. The result of the antimycobacterial screening tests proved Spondias mombin most potent for providing antiturbercular compounds and was further investigated by HPLCbased activity profiling. The HPLC fractions revealed SM8-9, SM14 and SM15 to be effective (94.9, 98.3 and 92.8% Inhibitions respectively) against M. tuberculosis H37RV as compared with reference drugs. The findings show Spondias mombin and Anacardium occidentale to possess good anti-infective potentials and these support the folkloric uses of the plants for the treatment of infectious diseases.