Assessing the anti-bacterial activity of Kigelia africana on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from a Clinical Hospital setting.

Background: The prevalence of Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus remains a major burden to South African public hospitals as patients with burns, neonates and those in intensive care units are at high risk of developing MRSA infection, which accounts for 20-50% of all staphylococcus infections in Africa. This study was conducted to investigate the anti-microbial activity of Kigelia africana on MRSA. Objective: The anti-microbial activity of Kigelia africana was assessed using the Resazurin Microtiter assay with vancomycin as a positive control. Methods: The phytochemicals from Kigelia africana were detected using preliminary qualitative phytochemical assays. Varying concentrations of K. africana ranging from (15, 6-500 µg/mL) were investigated for their inhibitory activity using a REMA assay. Results: Observation of the secondary metabolites revealed the presence of Coumarins, Flavonoids, steroids and tannins. The resazurin microtiter assay revealed inhibitory activity of Kigelia africana against MRSA isolates obtained from clinical hospital setting with the plant concentration 500 µg/mL exhibiting significant inhibitory activity than the positive control. Conclusion: The crude acetone fruit extract of Kigelia africana exhibited significant anti-microbial activity against MRSA, the study revealed inhibitory capabilities of the plant extract against MRSA colonies obtained from the clinical hospital setting.