ESTIMATION OF THE ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF THE ETHANOL EXTRACT OF THE ROOTS OF AZANZA GARCKEANA

ABSTRACT

Azanza Garckeana demonstrated several ethnomedicinal uses, nutritional and nutraceutical values throughout its distributional range in tropical Africa. This study seeks to estimate the antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of ethanol extract of the root of A. garckeana. Fresh Azanza garckeana leaves, fruits and roots were collected from Tula in Kaltungo Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe State, Nigeria. The roots were air dried, pulverized and extracted using ethanol. The extract was subject to antioxidant assays using DPPH and FRAP method. Antimicrobial evaluation using agar diffusion and microdilution assays. The data were analyzed using SPSS. The result reveals increasing percentage inhibition of DPPH activities with a higher concentration of extract. However, the FRAP capacity of the extract was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the standard. The antimicrobial activity of A. garckeana on E. coli, P. Aeruginosa, S, aureus, Streptococcus spp., Klebsiella spp, P. mirabilis in this study shows no antimicrobial inhibition concentration and diameter in the culture medium. It is plausible that the root of Azanza garckeana has been observed to exert antioxidants effect in this study, however, the non-antimicrobial inhibitory activity observed may be due to use of singular concentration.