PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND ANTIMICROBIAL STUDIES OF THE STEM BARK OF FICUS THONNINGII BLUME (MORACEAE)
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- NGN 5000
ABSTRACT
Ficus thonningii Blume is a popular medicinal plant used in Nigeria for the treatment of various ailments including diarrhoea, pneumonia, sore throat and typhoid. Physicochemical, macroscopic, microscopic, phytochemical and antimicrobial evaluations of the stem bark of the plant were carried out. The macroscopic features of the stem bark were examined using sensory organs. The microscopical features of the stem bark were determined by examining its microscopical properties using compound microscope. The powdered stem bark was successively extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol using cold maceration. Antimicrobial evaluation of the stem-bark of the plant was carried out with all the extracts tested against three Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyrogenes, and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and five Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella typhi and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Two Fungi: C. tropicalis and C. albicans. Agar well Diffusion method was used to screen the extracts. While the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) as well as minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations (MBC/MFC) were determined using broth dilution method. Transverse and longitudinal sections of the bark showed the presence of calcium oxalate crystals (prism type), cork cells, phellogen, fibres, medullary rays, and phloem parenchyma. Physicochemical parameters evaluated were: moisture content (6.56%), ash value (9.50%), water soluble ash (7.50%), acid insoluble ash (2.25%), water extractive value (10.67%) and alcohol extractive value (16.67%). Chemomicroscopically, the study revealed the presence of lignin, cellulose, tannins, calcium oxalate crystals and suberin. Phytochemical screening and thin layer chromatographic fingerprint of the extracts revealed flavonoids, steroids/triterpenes and phenolic compounds. vii Antimicrobial evaluation showed that almost all test microorganisms were sensitive to all extracts with zones of inhibition ranging from 20 – 30 mm. Ethyl acetate had the largest zones (best antimicrobial activity), followed by methanol and the least was hexane extract. However, P. mirabilis, C. albicans and MRSA were not susceptible to the entire extract. The MIC for all the extracts was between 6.25 mg/ml – 25 mg/ml while MBC/MFC was between 12.5 mg/ml – 50 mg/ml. This study therefore showed that, the stem bark extract has broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties against bacteria and fungi. It also confirms scientific reason for the traditional use of F. thonningii stem bark in the treatment of microbial infections.
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