African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (13), pp. 1549-1553, 4 July 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Antibacterial properties of Uvaria chamae, Congronema latifolium, Garcinia kola, Vemonia amygdalina and Aframomium melegueta

J. N. Ogbulie¹* C. C. Ogueke² and F. C. Nwanebu³

¹Department of Industrial Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. P. M. B. 1526 Owerri, Nigeria.

²Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. P. M. B. 1526 Owerri, Nigeria.

³Department of Biotechnology Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. P. M. B. 1526 Owerri, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: ogbujuan@yahoo.com. Phone: 08033303275.

Accepted 28 May, 2007

The antimicrobial efficacy of cold and hot water and ethanol extracts of Garcinia kola, Congronema latifolium, Aframomium melegueta, Vemonia amygdalina and Uvaria chamae on Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio spp. were determined using well in agar diffusion technique. Cold and hot water extracts of G. kola and U. chamae moderately inhibited the growth of S. aureus and S. pyogenes with zone of inhibition of between 9 – 15 mm. V. amygdalina, G. kola and C. latifolium slightly inhibited S. pyogenes and E. coli with a zone of clearing of between 7 -13 mm. Cold or hot ethanol extracts of U. chamae, G. kola and V. amygdalina profoundly inhibited the growth of S. aureus, S. pyogenes, E. coli and S. typhi to about 13 to 21 mm. Also ethanol extract of C. latifolium inhibited the growth of S. aureus, S. pyogenes and E. coli with zone size between 13 to 20 mm. While P. aeruginosa was slightly inhibited by ethanol extracts of G. kola, A. melegueta and U. chamae. Soxhlet extracts of U. chamae, G. kola, V. amygdalina and C. latifolium profoundly inhibited the growth of S. aureus, S. pyogenes, E. coli and S. typhi with zone of inhibition ranging from 13 – 22 mm. Vibro spp. were not inhibited by the cold and hot extract as well as soxhlet extracts of all the plants tested. The standard microorganisms, E. coli NCTC 10418 and S. aureus NCTC 6571, were moderately inhibited by the various test plant extracts with zones of inhibition ranging between 8 mm to 20 mm. This study reveals the antibacterial potentials of these plants.

Key words: Antibacterial potential, plant extracts, traditional medicine.