Science Journal of Microbiology
September 2014, Volume 2014, ISSN: 2276-626X
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research Article
Antimicrobial activity and phytochemical investigation of crude extracts of the fruits of Solanum incanum (Solananceae) and Dovyalis abbysinica (Flacourtiaceae)
*Chirchir Denis Kipngeno1, Seriana Mkamburi Mshimba1, Cheruiyot Gilbert , and Adongo John O.2
1Department of Physical Sciences, University of Kabianga, P.O. Box 2030, 20200-Kericho, Kenya.
Department of Chemistry, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536, 20115, Egerton, Nakuru County. Kenya.
Accepted 15 August, 2014; Available Online 12 September, 2014
doi: 10.7237/sjmb/193
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro antimicrobial activity and to test the presence of phytochemicals in methanolic crude extracts of the fruits of Dovyalis abbysinica and Solanum incanum. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of methanol extracts of Solanum incanum and Dovyalisabbysinica, respectively, were carried out by agar diffusion assay technique against one bacterial strain, Staphylococcus; and one fungal strain, Trichophyton rubrum. Crude extracts of both plants showed activity against both the fungus and the bacterial test microorganisms. The methanolic crude extracts of both plants revealed the presence of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, saponins and in one case proteins. This study provides some scientific basis upon which these two traditional medicinal plants have found usage in the treatment of a variety of ailments.
Keyword:Staphylococcus,thnobotanical, Trichophyton rubrum,Solanum incanum and Dovyalis abbyssinica