MEDICINAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CRUDE EXTRACT OF PELARGONIUM CRISPUM AGAINST PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

摘要

Medicinal plants are important for the curative and therapeutic roles they play in human health challenges. The antibacterial and phytochemical properties of the plant extract of Pelargonium crypsium obtained from Mafikeng, South Africa were analyzed.The methanolic and aqueous extracts obtained were concentrated "in vacuo" using a rotary evaporator and lyophilised. The extracts obtained were phytochemically screened for bioactive components and tested for antimicrobial activity against selected bacterial isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was also determined. The effects of the methanolic and aqueous extracts on Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), Enterococcus faecalis(ATCC 29212), Salmonella typhii(ATCC14208), and Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC25923) respectively showed that the plant could be used to treat infections caused by these bacteria. The MIC of the extracts against the tested bacterial isolates ranged between 125 and 250 u.g/tnL. The extracts showed no activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) and Moraxella catarrhalis (ATCC 25240). The phytochemical tests on the extracts of P. crispiumand TLC studies showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids compounds while saponins, cardiac glycosides and steroids were absent. This shows that P. crispium possesses chemotherapeutic properties.