Phytochemicals and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Tapinathus bangwensis Leaves

Background: The leaves of Tapinathus bangwensis have been used in the treatment of infectious and non-infectious diseases by the herbalist. This instigated evaluation of extract and fractions of Tapinathus bangwensis leaves for antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic organisms and identifications of the phytoconstituents.

Methods: The standard phytochemical methods and GC-MS were used to identify the phytoconstituents of extract and fractions. The antimicrobial activity was determined using agar dilution method.

Results: The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids and steroidal glycosides in the extract whereas n-hexane fraction contains terpenoids only, ethyl acetate contains flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins and n-butanol contains saponins, tannins and cardiac glycosides. The GC-MS analysis identified fatty acids, phthalic acid esters, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons in the extract and fraction. Most of the compounds identified possess antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and cytotoxicity effects. However, the antimicrobial activity showed that Escherichia coli alone was susceptible to the extract with mics of 5 mg /ml. Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Candidiaalbicans were susceptible to the n-hexane fraction which showed good activity with MIC range of 2.5-5 mg/ml. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were susceptible to ethyl acetate fraction with MIC range of 2.5-5mg/ml and Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were susceptible to ethyl acetate fraction with MIC range of 2.5-5mg/ml and Escherichia coli and candida albicans were susceptible to butanol fraction. with MIC range of 2.5-5mg/ml. klebsiella pneumoniae was not susceptible to the extract and any of the fractions.

Conclusion: The findings provide justification for the use of Tapinathus bangwensis leaves as antimicrobial agent. Hence, the phytochemicals if isolated can serve as a template for the development of antimicrobial agent.