PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MANIHOT ESCULENTA LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST SOME CLINICAL ISOLATES

Abstract

Plant extracts are natural products with active substances which are readily available and effective as powerful therapeutic compounds against bacteria and pathogens, acting as antibiotics and antimicrobiotics. This study evaluates the phytochemical profile and antimicrobial activity of cassava manihot esculenta leaf extracts against some clinical isolates (C. albicans, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella sp ) with a view of its potential therapeutic and justifying it use in traditional medicine. Phytochemical screening, biochemical and agar diffusion standard procedures were employed. Phytochemicals namely alkaloids, cyanide, flavonoids, saponins, phytate and tannins were found in manihot esculenta leaf extract with absence of terpenoid and glycosides. Manihot esculenta leaf extract was found promising against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and Salmonella spp at concentration of 25, 50 and 100 mg/ml. No activity was exhibited against, Candida albicans at all the test concentration. Furthermore, the extract was also found likely to act against both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa with a similar MIC of 50 mg/ml and an MBC of 25 mg/ml. These findings suggest the potential of Manihot esculenta ethanolic leaf extract to be used in the management of infections caused by P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Manihot esculenta (cassava) plant can thus, serve not only as source of food source but, also as an antimicrobial agent