Abstract

EVALUATION OF PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF SOME SUDANESE MEDICINAL PLANTS

Mosa Elhady. O., Justin Deng. D., Hamam Salih B.*, Mohamed Elfatih A. Omer., Saad Mohamed H. Ayoub 

ABSTRACT

The aims of this study to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of some Sudanese medicinal plants (Combretum hartmannianum leaves (Habiel), Hydnora abyssinica rhizome (Tartous), Sesbania leptocarpa leaves (Surib) and Ficus vasta leaves (Gom'aiz)). Preliminary phytochemical screening of different extracts of the plants is carried out by conventional chemical tests using precipitation and color test. In vitro antimicrobial activity is assessed by using cup-plate agar diffusion method. The preliminary phytochemical screening exhibit the absence of saponins, and sterols from the ethanolic extract of C. hartamannianum leaves. H. abyssinica rhizomes extract show the presence of tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids and reducing sugars. Ficus vasta extract shows absence of tannins, sterols and anthraquinones glycosides. Sesbania leptocarpa leaves extract show absence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides and flavonoids glycosides. All the screened plants (concentration 100 mg/ml) exhibit positive effects against tested bacterial strains except Sesbania leptocarpa has negative effects against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The most prominent activity against tested bacteria is showed by H. abyssinica and Ficus vasta ethanolic extracts. Sesbania leptocarpa (100mg/ml) has no antifungal activity against the tested fungal strains. H. abyssinica, C. hartamannianum, and Ficus vasta show promising antifungal activity. The tested plants have promising antibacterial and antifungal activities, which require further phytochemical studies to assess its active constituents responsible for those biological actions.

Keywords: Sudanese medicinal plants, Antimicrobial activity, Phytochemical screening.