ABSTRACT

Nature is the primary source of potent and efficient remedies and gifted us with a host of beneficial herbs, vegetables, fruits and medicinal plants which are the reliable resource of traditional herbal medicines used to cure various maladies widely, since the primitive period of time. Euphorbia hirta is a flowering plant that belongs to the largest genus Euphorbia in the plant family, Euphorbiaceae. Euphorbia hirta L. (belongs to Euphorbiaceae family) is a resourceful plant which has a number of tremendous uses as medicine.Euphorbia hirta contains a diverse amount of bioactive components such as polyphenols, anti-oxidants, ascorbic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, terpenoids, as well as volatile oils. Due to the presence of these bioactive components, Euphorbia hirta exhibit pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial activity, anti-asthmatic activity, wound healing and anti-venom properties. The test organisms are commonly associated with skin diseases and they include; Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans which cause cellulitis, hot tub folliculitis and mycosis respectively. Samples were collected in Ekosodin, Benin City, after which they were dried and extracted with solvents, water and ethanol. Phytochemical analysis, MIC, MBC, antibiotics disc susceptibility method were all carried out to ascertain the antimicrobial activity of the plant against the organisms. Results showed the bacteriostatic effects of the plant against the organisms. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in order to proffer new solutions and combat skin infections often caused by microorganisms with multiple antibiotic resistance.