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ABSTRACT
The increasing reliance on drugs from natural sources has led to the extraction and development of several drugs and chemotherapeutic agents from traditional herbs. Phytochemicals are chemicals that are derived from plant. Phytochemicals are found in fruits, vegetable, grains, legumes and green tea. The antibacterial activity of plant extracts is linked to the presence of phytochemicals in them. Some people have started using herbs due to the high cost of synthetic drugs. This study aimed at analysing the phytochemical and antibacterial properties of Persea americana against clinical some isolates. Persea americana stem bark and leaves were collected from a garden in Ekosodin, Edo State, Nigeria and identified in the Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria. The test organismswere obtained from the Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City. The aqueous stem bark and leaves extracts of Persea americana were tested on bacterial isolates to determine the antibacterial effects. Quantitative phytochemical constituents were carried out on the aqueous extract using standard phytochemical procedures. Antibiotic sensitivity test was done using disc diffusion method. Quantitative analysis revealed flavonoids having the highest concentration (68.0±3.79 µg/ml) on leaf aqueous extract while alkaloids had the least concentration (3.67±0.33%) on stem bark aqueous extract. There was a significant difference between all quantitative phytochemicals identified (p<0.05) except for alkaloids which was not significantly different (p>0.05). Gram positive Staphylococcus sp. as well as the Gram negative Escherichia coli showed the highest susceptibility (15.0±1.56 mm and 16.0±1.16 mm) at 2000 mg/mlwhile Escherichia coli showed least susceptibility at 62.5 mg/ml Persea americana aquous extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Staphylococcus sp. ranged from 2.67±0.67 mm (30mg/ml) - 5.33±0.67 mm (60mg/ml) while MIC of the plant extract on Escherichia coli ranged from 1.67±0.33 mm (80mg/ml) - 5.00±1.52 mm (120mg/ml). Minimum Bacteriocidal Concentrations of stem bark and leaf aqueous extracts of Persea americanashowed all bacteria isolates were bacteriostatic except for Escherichia coli which was bacteriocidal at 2000mg/ml extract concentration. E. coli had the highest multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.2 while Staphylococcus sp. showed no resistance to all antibiotics The antibacterial activities of Persea americanaprovides a basis for the development of new pharmaceuticals from Persea americana.
