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. 2014 Mar 3:10:52.
doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-10-52.

The antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity and selectivity index of leaf extracts of thirteen South African tree species used in ethnoveterinary medicine to treat helminth infections

Mathew Adamu, Vinny Naidoo, Jacobus N Eloff  1
Affiliations

The antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity and selectivity index of leaf extracts of thirteen South African tree species used in ethnoveterinary medicine to treat helminth infections

Mathew Adamu et al. BMC Vet Res. .

Abstract

Background: Diseases caused by bacteria remain a major challenge globally and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The plants used in this study have been used in South Africa to treat helminth infections in livestock and humans. In a previous study we found a correlation between antifungal and anthelmintic activity in some cases. In this study we examined other potential uses of these thirteen plant species by determining the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the leaf acetone extracts.The antibacterial activity was determined by using a serial microdilution method against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. Bioautography was used to determine the number of antibacterial compounds. The antioxidant activity was determined using the ABTS and DPPH methods.

Results: Maesa lanceolata and Leucosidea sericea with an MIC of 0.02 mg/ml had excellent antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There was a poor correlation between antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity with R2 = 0.143. This is because antibacterial activity is mainly related to non-polar compounds and antioxidant activity to polar compounds. Maesa lanceolata extracts had a low cytotoxicity with a selectivity index of 5.2, 2.6, 2.6 and 1.3 for P. aeruginosa, E. faecalis, E. coli and S. aureus respectively. Strychnos mitis extracts had a therapeutic index of 1.1 for E. coli.

Conclusions: This study shows that plant extracts of some species used in ethnoveterinary medicine as anthelmintic may also have excellent antibacterial activity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chromatogram developed with EMW and sprayed with DPPH. Yellow bands indicate separated compounds with antioxidant activity KEY: BD, Brachylaena discolor; ZC, Zanthoxylum capense; CG, Clerodendrum glabrum; HT, Heteromorpha trifoliata; AD, Apodytes dimidiata; SM, Strychnos mitis; ML, Maesa lanceolata; IF, Indigofera frutescens; LS, Leucosidea sericea; MA, Melia azedarach; CA, Clausena anisata; CD, Cyathea dregei; MG, Milletia grandis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bioautogram developed with BEA of different plant leaf acetone extracts against E. coli showing antibacterial bands. White bands indicate separated compounds that inhibited the growth of E. coli KEY. BD, Brachylaena discolor; ZC, Zanthoxylum capense; CG, Clerodendrum glabrum; HT, Heteromorpha trifoliata; AD, Apodytes dimidiata; SM, Strychnos mitis; ML, Maesa lanceolata; IF, Indigofera frutescens; LS, Leucosidea sericea; MA, Melia azedarach; CA, Clausena anisata; CD, Cyathea dregei; MG, Milletia grandis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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