Abstract

ASSESEMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL, ANTIAMOEBIC AND ANTISPASMODIC ACTIVITIES OF EXTRACTS FROM BUCEA SUMATRANA BOXB. (SIMAROUBCEAE) LEAVES USED AS ANTIDIARREAL AGENT IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Tshodi E. M., Nsaka L. S., Kambu K. O., Lami N. J., Cimanga K. R.*, Vlientick A. J., Pieters L.

ABSTRACT

Results from the present study reported the antimicrobial, antiaomoebic and antispasmodic activities of extracts from Brucea sumatrana leaves including lyophilized aqueous extract and its soluble fractions, 80% methanol ant total alkaloids extracts. Results from the antimicrobial activity revealed that all samples exhibited antimicrobial activity by inhibiting the growth of selected clinic isolated bacteria with minimal and bactericidal concentrations from 7.81 to 250 μg/ml. In antiamoebic test, all samples were found to possessed good capacity to inhibit the growth of the parasite Entamoeba histolytica with minimal amoecidal concentrations (MAC) from 2.03 to 10.68 μg/ml and inhibitory concentrations 50 (IC50) ranging from 1.14 to 6.35 μg/ml while in antispasmodic test on isolated guinea-pig ileum, all samples inhibited contractions induced by acetylcholine and depolarizing solution rich in KCL by more than 65% with lyophilized aqueous, 80% methanol and total alkaloids extracts as the most active producing more than 80% inhibition of contractions induced by both agonists on isolated organ when tested at 40 μg/ml. These results can partly support and justify the traditional use of B. sumatrana leaves in the decoction form for the treatment of diarrhea in traditional medicine according to its origin.

Keywords: Brucea sumatrana, Simaroubaceae, leaves, extracts, antimicrobial, antiamoebic and antispasmodic activities, diarrhea.