Comparative Study on Antimicrobial and Phytochemical Properties of Different Polar Fractions of Anogeisuss leiocarpus Root Extract from Langtang L.G.A. Plateau State

Anogeissus leiocarpus plant is widely used in Africa and among Tarok people in the northern senatorial zone of Plateau State, Nigeria as antimicrobial agents against many pathogenic microorganisms. This study was carried out invitro to compare the antibacterial and antifungal properties of non-polar (hexane, ethyl acetate) and polar (methanol, water) root extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, (ATCC 6538), Klebsiella pneumonia,(ATCC 1705), Escherichia coli, (ATCC 25922), Salmonella typhi (clinical isolates) Aspergillus flavus (clinical isolates), Trichophyton rubrum (clinical isolates), Aspergillus braziliensis (clinical isolates), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). The extracts of polar solvents showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. But for Aspergillus flavus, and Trichophyton rubrum both the polar and non-polar solvents showed equal inhibition. Ciprofloxacin, Fluconazole and Amphotericin B were used as control. The result revealed that the selected micro-organisms were sensitive within the concentration range of 50 – 400mg/ml. Preliminary phytochemical results revelled the presence of important bioactive substances such as cardiac glycosides, tannins, saponins, steroids, carbohydrates, flavonoids and terpenes. Thus, methanol extracts contain bioactive compounds that could be utilized in developing new antibiotics.