Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2(2): 143-146, 2010 ISSN: 2041-0778 © M axwell Scientific Organization, 2010 Submitted Date: January 26, 2010 Accepted Date: February 08, 2010 Published Date: March 10, 2010 Antibacterial Activity and Phytochemical Screening of Ethanolic Extracts Obtained from Selected Sudanese Medicinal Plants 1 Hatil Hashim EL-Kamali and 2 Mohamm ed Y agoub E L-amir Department of Botany, Faculty of Science and Technology, 2 Departm ent of Microbiolog y, Faculty of Medical Laboratories, Omd urman Islamic University, P.O. Box 382, Omdurman, Sudan 1 Abstract: Selected plants (8 species) having a history of use in Sudanese traditional medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases were investigated for antibacterial activity in vitro. Phytochemical screening of these plants was performed for constituents: alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinone s, saponins and volatile oils. Moisture, ash, crude fibres and soluble ethanol extractive contents have been carried out. The antibacterial screening of the ethanol extracts of the selected plants was performed by the agar well diffusion method against clinical isolates Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia co li and Pseudom onas aeruginosa). All the eight ethano lic extracts show ed go od ac tivity against four tested bacteria. The activity of the Cymbopogon schoenathus spp. proximus aerial parts, Cymbopogon nervatus inflorescence and Cassia oc ciden talis seed extracts w ere more pronounced. T he results of the antibacterial activity screening support the ethno medical uses of these plants. Further studies on the isolation and characterization of the Cymbopogon schoenathus spp. proximus and Cymbopogon nervatus, partially o r totally responsible for th e observed antibacterial pro perties in progress. Key w ords: Antibacterial activity, ethanolic extracts, medicinal plants, phytochemical screening, Sudan INTRODUCTION The use of medicinal plants to treat human diseases has its roots in p re-historical times. M edicinal plants are used by 80 % o f the w orld po pulation as the only availab le medicines especially in developing countries. In Sudan, the percentage of p eople dependant on med icinal plants for health care is estimated as over 90%. These plants and derived products play an imp ortant role in the primary health care of Sudan (U NID O, 199 6). The phytochemistry of Cassia species, Am brosia maritima, Geigeria alata, Cymbopogon nervatus and Cymbopogon schoenathus spp. proximus have been received considerab le interest (Modawi et al., 1984; Rizk, 1986; Franz, 1993; Farnsworth, 1995; Ross et al., 1997). In previo us pu blication we reported the screen ing of a series of selected medicinal plants from central Sudan (EL-Kamali et al., 1998). In this study we examined the phytochemical screening and antibacterial effects o f ethanolic extracts of selected medicinal plants in central Sudan. MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant ma terial: Eight plants (Table 1) commonly used in Sudanese traditiona l medicine w ere collected from the various parts of C entral Sudan, nam ely: Ed-Dam er, Er-Rahad, Um m R uwaba, E L-O beid and G edare f, in March - Octo ber (19 99-2001). The taxon omic identity of the plants was confirmed according to the studies of ELAmin, (1990) and Broun and Massey (1929). Voucher herbarium specimens have been deposited at the herbarium of the Department of Botany, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan. The plant material was shadedried and then ground in a Wiley grinder with a 2mm diameter mesh. Used bacteria: Clinical isolates Gra m-positive b acteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gramnegative bacteria (Escherichia co li and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) obtained from Khartoum hospital were grown in nutrient broth medium an d incubated at 37ºC for 48 h followed by frequen t sub culturing (every 48 h) to refresh medium. Bacterial strains w ere maintained on M ullerHinton Agar (composition: Beef, infusion form, 300 g; casein hydrolysate, 17.5 g; starch, 1.5 g; Agar No.1, 10 g; distilled w ater, 1000 m l; pH 7 .4). Studied activity: W ell diffusion method (Collins et al., 1995) for assessing the antibacterial activity was applied. Wells were made by flamed and then cooled cork-borer (9 mm) filled (0.01 ml) with the test solution Corresponding Author: Dr. Hatil Hashim EL-Kamali, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science and Technology, Omdurman Islamic University, P.O. Box 382, Omdurman, Sudan 143 Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(2): 143-146, 2010 Table 1: Traditional uses of selected medicinal plants of central Sudan Botanic name/ (Family) Local name/(Locality) Part uses A m b ro si a m a ri ti m a Dam sisa (Ed-D amer) Leaves L. (Asteraceae) Ge igeria a lata Gud-gad (Er-Rahad) Ae rial parts (DC.) Benth. & H ook (Asteraceae) Cas sia acc identa lis L. (Caesalpiniaceae) Soreib (Umm Row aba) Seeds Cassia senna L. (Caesalpiniaceae) San asan a (Ed-D amer) Pods Cassia tora L. (Caesalpiniaceae) Kaw al(Umm Row aba) Fermented leaves R h yn ch o si a m i ni m a (L.)DC . Var. me mn onia (Del.) Cooke (Fabaceae) Cymbopogon nervatus (Hoch st.) Chiov. (Poaceae) Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Sp reng . spp . proximus (H och st. E x A.R ic h.) M air e & Weiller (Poaceae) Traditional uses To treat backache, stomach pains, malaria and for gastro-intestinal disturbances. To treat cough, intestinal complaints and diabetes. Irg el Dam (Geda ref) Roo ts To relieve backache and to treat hypertension. The aqueous extracts of senna is known to be laxative and stomachic. Kawal sprinkled over popular food in West Central Sudan as an appetizer and is also popularly considered to treat diabetes. To treat diabetes, tonsillitis, backache and diarrhea. Nal (G edaref) Inflorescence To treat kidney pains and for bladder infections. Ma hareib (Ed -Dam er) Ae rial parts To treat constipation, intestinal complaints, carminative, stomachic and as an appetizer. Table 2: Antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extracts of selected medicinal plants from central Sudan Na lidixic Bac teria A.m G.a C.o C.sn C.t R.m C.n C.s Ge ntam icin Tetracycline acid Am picillin Strep tom ycin Colistin Nitro furan toin Staphylococcus 12 16 14 12 12 16 15 20 15 7 0 0 9 0 12 aureus Bac illus sub tilis 15 22 17 13 17 15 20 24 16 18 13 0 16 0 19 Esch erichia coli 15 13 15 15 14 13 14 14 0 15 13 0 10 13 9 Pseudomonas 15 13 16 0 13 14 16 15 15 0 0 0 10 13 0 aeruginosa A.m = A m b ro si a m a ri ti m a; G.a = Ge igeria a lata; C.o = Cas sia occ identa lis; C.sn = Cassia senna; C.t = Cassia tora; R.m = R h yn ch o si a m i ni m a var. me mn onia ; C.n = Cymbopogon nervatus; C.s = Cymbopogon schoenanthus ssp. proximus. Values are inhibition zon e (IZ ) dia me ters/m m; 0 = N o inh ibitio n.; Ethanol alone did not show any activities Table 3: Properties and phytochemical screening of selected medicinal plants from central Sudan Plants Plant part Et OH extract Phytochemical M o is tu re (% ) % yield screening A m b ro si a m a ri ti m a Leaves 1.5 Alkaloids, Flavonoids, 20.0 Vo latile oil Ge igeria a lata Ae rial parts 1.8 Alkaloids, Flavonoids, 20.0 Tan nins, V olatile oil Cas sia occ identa lis Seeds 1.3 Anthraquinones, 15.0 Tannins Cassia senna Pods 2.5 Anthraquinones, 15.0 Tannins Cassia tora Fermented 2.6 Anthraquinones, 25.0 leaves Tannins R h yn ch o si a m i ni m a Roo ts 5.0 Saponins, 5.0 var. me mn onia Anthraquinones Cymbopogon nervatus Inflorescence 2.0 Flavonoids, Tannins, 25.0 Vo latile oil Cymbopogon Ae rial parts 1.3 Flavonoids, Tannins, 20.0 schoenanthus ssp. Vo latile oil proximus and the standa rd reference antibiotics (Gentamicin-25 mg, Tetracycline – 25 m g, Nalidixic acid – 30 mg , Am picillin – 25 mg, Streptomycin – 25 mg, Colistin – 25 mg and Nitrofurantoin – 25 mg) were used. T ota l a sh (% ) A cid in so lu ble as h ( %) S ulf ate d a sh (% ) 20.0 10.0 2.5 25.0 10.0 1.5 5.0 1.5 3.5 2.5 1.5 2.1 20.0 7.0 3.3 15.0 4.5 2.4 5.0 7.0 4.4 10.0 8.0 4.8 incubated in the upright position at 37 ºC for 24h. The plates were checked for bacterial growth after the incubation period and the resultant zon es of growth inhibition were accurately measured an d exp ressed in mm. Antibacterial testing: The inoculum size of each test bacteria was adjusted to a 1 ml of bacterial suspension. Using a flamed and then cooled 9mm. cork-borer, five cups were cut out of each of the ag ar plates wh ich were previously inoculated with the test organism. T he cut discs of agar were removed and decontaminated. By means of standard pipettes, 0.1ml of each of the different test suspensions was added to the appropriate cups. Concentration of 25 mg / ml was tested for each plant extract. Each test was replicated twice. In each plate one well at the middle was saturated only with the solvent (ethan ol) and used as a negative control. After filling the reservoirs with the appropriate dilutions, the plates w ere Properties of selected sudanese med icinal plants: The moisture, ash, acid-insoluble ash, sulfated ash, crude fiber and alcohol-soluble extractive of selected Sudanese medicinal plants (A. maritima, C.alata, C. occidentalis, C. senna, C. tora, R. minima var. memnonia, Cymbopogon nervatus and C. schoenanthus spp. proximus) were determined a ccording to stan dard procedu res (AO AC , 1980; Lo u, 1980). Phytochemical tests: Phytochemical screening was carried out acco rding to Farnsworth (19 66). 144 Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(2): 143-146, 2010 Extraction procedures: Dried and powdered plant materials (100 g) were extracted with 80% ethanol (500 ml) in Soxhlet Apparatus for 6 h. The solvent was removed in vaccum (R otava por R E) to give concentrated extract and the residue kept in the refrigerator until use. obtained by hydrodistillation for 4 hours in a C levengertype apparatus (BP, 1980). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the present work medicinal uses and the yields of ethan olic extracts of candidate plant sp. were phytochemically screened and tested for their antibacterial activity. The results are shown in Tables 1-3. The ethanolic extracts of all the examined plants showed stronger grow th inhibition against Gram-positive bacteria. Study on antibacterial activity of 8 p lants brought to light some very interesting results. C. nervatus ssp. proximus, C. nervatus and Cassia oc ciden talis appeared to be the most active against tested bacteria. For Cymbopogon species this effect might be due to the high content of terpenoids w hereas for C. occidentalis the activity might be related to the presence of tannins. A glance at Table 2 reveals that various plant ethan olic extracts may be bro adly d ivided into two categories (1), those having a relatively higher propensity to act on Gram-positive bacteria (2), those equally or nearly equally effective against both types of bacteria. Ethanolic extracts of G. alata, C. schoenanthus ssp. proximus showed relatively higher propensity to act on Gram- positive bacteria. EtOH extracts of C. oc ciden talis, C. tora, C. senna, R. minima var. memnonia, A. maritima and C. nervatus showed equal or nearly equal antibacterial activity both against Gram-p ositive and Gram-negative bacteria. Compared to the standard, C. occidentalis, C. nervatus, C. schoenanthus ssp. proximus ethanolic extracts exhibited a broader spectrum of antibacterial activity. EL-Magboul et al. (1985) stated that chloroformic extracts of C. schoenanthus ssp. proximus was foun d to be weak activity against S. aureus, B. sub tilis, E. coli and P. aeruginosa except methano lic extrac t against S. aureus. However, in the present stud y ethanolic extract of this plant was highly effective against all tested bacteria. The obtained results may provide a support to some uses of the plants in traditional medicine. Tests: Alkaloids: The ethanolic extract (30 ml) was evaporated to dryness in an eva porating dish on w ater bath. Five ml of 2NHC l were adde d and stirred w hile heating on the water bath for 10 min., cooled, filtered and the filtrate was treated with a few drops of Mayer reagent. The samples were then observed for the presence of turbidity or precipitation. Flavonoids: The alcohol extract (75 m l) of plant samp le were evaporated to dryness on a water bath, cooled and the residue was defatted by washing several times w ith petroleum ether. The defatted residue was dissolved in 30 ml 80% ethanol and filtered. The filtrate wa s treated with a few drops of concentrated HCl and magnesium turnings (0.5 g). The prese nce of flavonoids was ind icative if a pink or magenta-red colour developed within 3 min. Tannins: The alcoholic extract (25 ml) was evaporated to dryness on a water bath. The residue was extracted several times with n-hexane and filtered, the insoluble residue was stirred with 10 ml of hot saline solution, the mixture was cooled, filtered and the volume of filtrate was adjusted to 10 ml with more saline solution. To 5 ml of this solution, few drops of ferric chloride test reagent were added. An intense green, purple, blue or black colour was taken as an evidence for the presence of tannins. Saponins: One gram of ethanol extract was dissolved in 10 ml of distilled water in a test tube and shaked vigorously for 1-2 min. The presence of saponins was indicated by ch aracteristic hon eyco mb fro th at least 1 cm in height, which persisted for 30 min. Anthraquinone glycosides: To 1 g of the powdered plant material, 10 ml of N/2 potassium hydroxide containing 1 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution was added. The suspension was boiled for 3-5 min. then cooled, filtered and 5 ml of the filtrate was acidified with 10 drops of glacial acetic acid. This acidified mixture was extracted by shaking with 10 ml of benzene. A 5 ml aliquot of the benzene solution was shaken with 3 ml of 10% ammonium hydroxide solution an d the two layers were allowed to separate. A pink to red colouration of the alkaline layer indicated the presence of anthraquinone. CONCLUSION Compared to reference antibiotics, the spectrum of antibacterial activity of most investgated plants was found to be clearly superior. 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