Antibacterial Activity of the Leaf Extract of Alchornea Cordifolia (Christman Bush) Against Selected Bacteria Isolates

Abstract

This research work shows the antibacterial activity of the leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia by determining the phytochemical constituents, antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration of the leaf extract, cool method extraction was used for the preparation of aqueous extract and ethanol extract. The phytochemical constituents of Alchornea cordifolia contains Flavonoid, tannin, Alkaloid and saponin in the both extract while anthraquinone was absent in the both extract. The bacterial isolates used were Staphylococus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Agar well diffusion methods were employed to determine the zone of inhibition, and S. aureus shows the highest Zone of inhibition in the Aqueous extract which is 12.5mm, while E. coli has the highest zone of inhibition in the ethanol extract which is 11.0mm. The both extract has antibacterial activity against the test organism used. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the two extract shows zone of inhibition, the aqueous extract had larger zones of inhibition ranging from 8.4mm to 10.1mm and the lowest M.I.C values is 100% concentration. This study has justified the traditional use of Alchornea cordifolia leaf extracts in the treatment of disease caused by bacteria.