The comparative studies of different extracts of the leaves of
Parkia biglobosa
(Jacq) Benth and
Parkia bicolor
A. Chev (Mimosaceae) with respect to their photochemical and antimicrobial properties was carried out. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed that both plants had similar constituents namely cardiac glycosides, steroids, tannins and alkaloids. The thin layer chromatography of the hexane and ethanol extracts of both plants were also investigated and two of the components of the ethanol extracts of both plants were found to display similar properties. The antimicrobial screening of the hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water extracts of both plant leaves were done using standard strains of
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Bacillus cereus
,
Esherichia coli
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Aspergillus niger
and
Candida utilis
. The ethyl acetate, ethanol and water extracts exhibited a concentration dependent antibacterial, inhibiting the growth of the gram-positive bacteria used in the study. Extracts of
P. bicolor were slightly more active than those of
P. biglobosa.
