Studies on Phytochemical Constituents and Antibacterial Potentials of Extracts of Balanites aegyptiaca (Del.) Parts on Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Isolates

Aims: To determine the phytochemicals and antibacterial potentials of parts of Balanite aegyptiaca on clinically important antibiotic resistant bacteria isolates

Study Design: Phytochemicals and in vitro assay of antibacterial

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biological Science Technology, Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, between April, 2013 and January, 2014

Methodology: Collection of bacterial isolates; antibiogram of the bacterial isolates; preparation of plant extracts; phytochemical analyses of the plant parts on aqueous extracts; In vitro susceptibility test (agar well diffusion assay)

Results: The antibiogram showed that all the isolates used in this study are multidrug resistant. The results of the phytochemical analyses on aqueous extracts showed that the leaves of B. aegyptiaca possessed all the phytochemical components tested except anthroquinones and alkaloids, while root bark lack anthroquinones, cardiac glycosides and phlobatannins and stem bark possessed only flavonoids and polyphenols. The presence of phytochemical components in the stem bark is significantly less than those in the leaf and root bark (p<0.05). The presence of these phytochemicals has provided some biochemical basis for ethno pharmacological uses of this plant parts in the treatment and prevention of various diseases and disorders. Using agar well diffusion method, the B. aegyptiaca parts were screened for antibacterial activities against antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp. and Citrobacter sp. at 100mg/ml concentration. The results of the antibacterial activity showed that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of all the parts of B. aegyptiaca has varying antibacterial activity against the tested isolates. The hot aqueous and cold aqueous extracts of leaves of B. aegyptiaca have no activity against Citrobacter spp. and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. The hot aqueous extract of stem bark has significant antibacterial activity against all the tested isolates except Salmonella spp, while the cold water extract of the same part has no activity against Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Citrobacter spp. The ethanolic, hot and cold aqueous extracts of root bark of B. aegyptiaca have no activity against Salmonella spp. Although the presence of phytochemical components in the stem bark is significantly less than those in the leaf and root bark (p<0.05), their antibacterial activities however, showed no significant difference (P=0.10) to all the isolates. The results further showed that the antibacterial activity of cold aqueous extracts of Balanite aegyptiaca parts is significantly lower than those of ethanolic extracts and hot aqueous extracts (p<0.05). However, there is no significant difference between the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract and hot aqueous extract of all the parts on the isolates (P=0.06).

Conclusion: This study investigates and reports the phytochemicals antibacterial potentials of Balanites aegyptiaca on resistant bacteria isolates. This therefore justify the use of this plant in traditional medicine practices for the diseases caused by the microorganisms.