Pharmacognosy Research logo
Submit
Pharmacognosy ResearchACADEMIC PUBLISHING
Article

Methanolic extracts of Aloe secundiflora Engl. inhibits in vitro growth of tuberculosis and diarrhea-causing bacteria

1, 2, 1★, 3, 4, 4★ Corresponding author

  1. 1Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences, Kenyatta University, Nairobi
  2. 2Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
  3. 3Departments of Botany and Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
  4. 4Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

CORRESPONDENCE

Paul O. Okemo

Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences, Kenyatta University, Nairobi

okemo1952@yahoo.com

Volume 3, Issue 2 · pp. 95-99 · 2011 · DOI: 10.4103/0974-8490.81956

ABSTRACT

The emergence of resistance to antimicrobials by pathogens has reached crisis levels, calling for identification of alternative means to combat diseases. To determine antimicrobial activity of crude methanolic extract of Aloe secundiflora Engl. from Lake Victoria region of Kenya. Extract was tested against four strains of mycobacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. kansasii, M. fortuitum and M. smegmatis), Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and a fungus Candida albicans. activity of the extract was determined using BACTECTM MGITTM 960 system. General antibacterial and antifungal activity was determined using standard procedures: zones of inhibition, Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentrations (MBCs/MFCs). The extract was potent against M. fortuitum, M. smegmatis and M. kansasii where it completely inhibited growth (Zero growth units (GUs)) in all the extract concentrations used. It gave strong antimycobacterial activity (157 GUs) against M. tuberculosis. It showed strong antimicrobial activity (P≤0.05), giving inhibition zones ≥9.00 mm against most microorganisms, such as P. aeruginosa (MIC 9.375 mg mL-1and MBC of 18.75 mg mL-1), E. coli (both MIC and MBC of 18.75 mg mL-1), S. aureus and S. typhi (both with MIC and MBC of 37.5 mg mL-1). Preliminary phytochemistry revealed presence of terpenoids, flavonoids and tannins. The data suggests that Aloe secundiflora could be a rich source of antimicrobial agents. The result gives scientific backing to its use by the local people of Lake Victoria region of Kenya, in the management of conditions associated with the tested microorganisms.

KEYWORDS

Open in new tab

REFERENCES

As published

Showing references and in-text citations exactly as published.

    Cite this article

    SELECT FORMAT

    Mariita, R. M., Orodho, J. A., Okemo, P. O., Kirimuhuzya, C., Otieno, J. N., & Magadula, J. J. (2011). Methanolic extracts of Aloe secundiflora Engl. inhibits in vitro growth of tuberculosis and diarrhea-causing bacteria. Pharmacognosy Research, 3(2), 95-99. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-8490.81956

    Copyright and licence

    © 2011 Author(s)

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0