PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIBACTERIAL STUDIES OF THE STEM BARK EXTRACTS OF DETARIUM MICROCARPUM GUILL. & PERR (CAESALPINIACEAE)
Detarium microcarpum is commonly known as “Tallow tree” and in Nigeria, it is referred to as “Taura” (Hausa), “Ogbogbo” (Yoruba), “Awakao fo” (Igbo) and widely distributed in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa. Traditionally in Nigeria, D. microcarpum is used in the treatment of syphilis, fever, anaemia, stomach disorders. This study is aimed at evaluating the phytochemical constituents of D. microcarpum and the antimicrobial effects of the methanol and alkaloidal extracts on clinical isolates (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi) obtained from HIV patients. The phytochemical screening of D. microcarpum stem bark was conducted based on the method described in Trease and Evans’ pharmacognosy. The methanol and alkaloidal extracts of D. microcarpum stem bark was subjected to thin layer chromatography (TLC). The antimicrobial activity of the methanol and alkaloidal extracts of D. microcarpum stem bark at the concentrations of 0.125, 0.250, 0.500 and 1.000% was determined using cup-plate and tube-dilution method. The phytochemical screening revealed that D. microcarpum contains alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, sterols and terpenes. Also, the TLC analysis showed that the alkaloidal extract contained several alkaloids with different Rf values. The zone of inhibition of the methanol extract of D. microcarpum ranged between 0.0 mm to 8.0 mm. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value of the methanol extract against S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhi were 1.25 mg/ml, 2.50 mg/ml and 2.50 mg/ml respectively, while the MIC value for the alkaloidal extract was 5.00 mg/ml, against all the isolates. The stem bark of D. microcarpum contained phytochemical constituents, tannins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, saponins and alkaloids, with antimicrobial activities which justify its use in traditional medicine against bacterial infection.
Keywords: Alkaloidal extract, Clinical isolates, Detarium microcarpum, Methanol extract, Phytochemistry,
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