Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: October | Volume: 7 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 33-40
Phytochemical Screening and in Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Cassia Didymobotrya Fres
Joseph Musau 1, Irene Wanjiru12
1Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, School of pharmacy, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
Corresponding Author: Joseph Musau
ABSTRACT
Man has used plants for treatment and prevention of diseases since prehistoric times. The cost of antibiotics coupled with bacterial resistance especially in developing countries like Kenya, has made it necessary to upscale research on cheaper antibiotics with novel mechanism of action. Studies have demonstrated a promising potential of antimicrobial agents from plants which are also likely to be cost effective. This study aimed at investigating the phytochemical constituents and the antibacterial activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Cassia didymobotrya Fres. leaves and stem bark. Preliminary phytochemical screening was done using established protocols while antibacterial activity was by the Agar Well Diffusion Method and assessment of zones of inhibition. E. coli and P. aeruginosa were the most susceptible organisms while S. aureus was the least susceptible. Leaf extracts generally showed better activity than the stem bark extracts.
Keywords: phytochemical screening, zones of inhibition, Cassia didymobotrya Fres.
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