Phytochemical screening and Antimicrobial activity of Ethnomedicinal Acalypha wilkesiana leaves extracts against some clinical isolates in Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Acalypha wilkesiana is a highly valued plant for its therapeutic potential in ethno-medicinal practices, primarily for treating gastrointestinal and skin disorders. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical compounds and antibacterial activity of A. wilkesiana leaf extracts against some bacterial pathogens. Plant extraction was conducted via maceration in methanol and aqueous solvents, followed by phytochemical screening to determine the bioactive compounds using standard methods. Antibacterial activity was determined using the agar well diffusion method against the test organisms procured from the Microbiology Laboratory, Federal University Dutse, upon isolation from clinical samples in Dutse General Hospital. The preliminary phytochemicals screening observed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, anthraquinones, resins, and saponins in the methanolic extract. In contrast, the aqueous extract showed similar secondary metabolites except for resins, steroids, and saponins. In terms of antibacterial activity, the methanolic extract exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested organisms; it produced the most significant inhibition zones of 15.10 ± 2.44 mm and 11.35± 1.60 mm against S. aureus and P. aeroginosa, respectively. However, the aqueous extract demonstrated a slightly lower antibacterial effect, yielding an inhibition zone of 7.13 ± 2.28 mm against K. pneumoniae. Therefore, this study underscores the potential of A. wilkesiana leaves, demonstrating its rich abundance of secondary metabolites and its efficacy against a broad spectrum of bacterial strains, rendering it a valuable candidate for further exploration in the development of natural antibacterial agents that could help mitigate the development of antimicrobial resistance.