ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF ROOT FRACTIONS OF COMBRETUM MOLLE (R.Br. Ex.G.Don) AGAINST SELECTED PATHOGENS

Abstract

Combretum molle has been used in many traditional medicines for treatment of microbial
infections (diarrhea, dysentery, fever) and several inflammatory conditions (abdominal pain,
headache, and toothache). The aqueous, n-butanol and the ethyl-acetate fractions of the roots
of Combretum molle were analyzed for their phytochemical content and their antimicrobial
potential against some selected microorganisms. Ethanol was used as solvent for extraction,
after which differential fractionization was carried out using distilled water, ethyl acetate and
n-butanol. Aqueous, ethyl-acetate and n-butanol fractions of the roots of C. molle were
screened for secondary chemicals. The results revealed the presence of; Tannins, Flavonoids,
Saponins, Triterpenes and Steroids. Glycosides were found in all the fractions except the root
aqueous and root n-butanol fractions. Alkaloids were also present in all except the root ethylacetate
and root n-butanol fractions. Anthraquinones were present in the root aqueous and root
n-butanol fractions only. Based on the results X. axonopodis and S. Typhi proved to be the most
sensitive bacterial species with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of as low as
1.5mg/ml, and 6.25mg/ml respectively, whereas K. pneumoniae was resistant to the ethylacetate
root fractions of the plant. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) had low
values such as 3.06mg/ml of the ethyl-acetate and aqueous root fraction against S. Typhi. The
results therefore indicate that the root fractions of Combretum molle contain secondary
metabolites that are bactericidal against the test pathogens.