Plants have been used in ethno-medicine for ages in the treatment of various diseases. In the
current study, the leaves of
C. jagus are investigated for antimicrobial activities. The leaves were dried and
extracted successively with hexane, ethylacetate and methanol. The concentrated extracts were screened for activity
against
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Escherichia coli
,
Bacillus subtilis
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Salmonella typhi
,
Klebisidlae pneumonae,
Candida albicans
,
Aspergillus niger
,
Penicillium notatum
and
Rhizopus stolonifer
at
concentrations between 6.25 and 200 mg/ml using the agar diffusion method. The Minimum Inhibitory
Concentration (MIC) was also determined. The percentage yields obtained were 0.92 %, 1.20 % and 25.2 % for
the hexane, ethylacetate and methanol extracts respectively. The zones of inhibition of the organisms by the extracts
generally increased with the concentrations. The methanol extract showed the best activity of the three extracts
tested. The methanol extract had values ranging between 20 mm and 26 mm against the bacteria at 200 mg/ml.
This extract also showed values between 18 mm and 20 mm against the fungi at 200 mg/ml. The lowest MICs
values (of 2.5 mg/ml) were obtained against
S. aureus,
E. coli,
B. subtilis and
S. typhi. The polar constituents in the
leaves of the plant are likely responsible for the antimicrobial properties observed. None of the extracts showed
activity comparable to those of the standard drugs, however the methanol extract showed some potential as a source
of antimicrobial compounds.
