Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS OF TETRAPLEURA TETRAPTERA POD

Nwobodo H. A.*

ABSTRACT

The phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity of water and acetone extracts of Tetrapleura tetraptera pod were studied. The pods were bought from Ogbete main market in Enugu State, Nigeria, ground and extracted using water and acetone. Acetone and water crude extract the pod was concentrated and various dilutions (500mg/ml, 300mg/ml, and 100mg/ml) prepared using 0.5% Dimethyl Sulphuroxide (DMSO) as diluent. Agar well diffusion method was used to test the activity of the extract against standard inoculum of the test organisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Salmonella typhimurium). Phytochemical screening of acetone and water extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides and saponins. Both water and acetone extracts of Tetrapleura tetraptera pod exerted activity against the test organisms at 500mg/ml, 300mg/ml and 100mg/ml with varying zones of inhibition, except for water extract without activity against Proteus mirabilis at the concentrations used. Acetone and water extracts showed the highest activity on Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli with inhibition zones of 19mm and 16 mm at 500mg/ml, with least activity of 8 mm and 7 mm at 100mg/ml on Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. Findings of this research suggest that Tetrapleura tetraptera could have antibacterial activity. Further research should be conducted to identify the bioactive component(s) of the pod of Tetrapleura tetraptera responsible for the observed antibacterial activity.

Keywords: Antibacterial, Phytochemical, Extracts, Tetrapleura tetraptera, pod.