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Full Length Research Paper
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Does seasonal variation
influence the phytochemical and antibacterial properties of
Carpobrotus edulis?
Pirwana K. Chokoe, Peter Masoko, Matlou P. Mokgotho,
Rachmond L. Howard and Leseilane J. Mampuru*
University of Limpopo, Department of Biochemistry,
Microbiology and Biotechnology, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga,
South Africa, 0727.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
Leseilanem@ul.ac.za.
Accepted
15 August, 2008 |
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Abstract |
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Carpobrotus edulis
L. (family Aizoaceae) has been used by locals over the years
to treat microbial infections. Extracts of varying
polarities were prepared from the leaf debris and filtrate
of a spring and an autumn harvest of C. edulis. Thin
layer chromatography was used to analyze the phytocompounds
of the extracts as well as to assay the plant for
antioxidant compounds. The spring harvest showed equal
distribution of the phytochemicals within the leaf debris
and the filtrate, but there was a high prevalence of
phytocompounds within the leaf debris extracts of the autumn
sample. An antioxidant compound was intensely pronounced in
the autumn extracts of intermediate polarity and in the
polar extract. The plant was evaluated for antibacterial
activity against Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus
by using a two-fold serial microdilution method as well as
bioautography. The spring extracts were more potent against
all test organisms, having MIC values that were lower than
the autumn extracts. When taking the total activity of each
extract into account, the autumn extracts showed higher
efficacy than the extracts from the spring sample. The
antibacterial activity observed in the extracts of both
seasons somewhat validated the ethnomedicinal use of C.
edulis.
Key
words:
Carpobrotus edulis, antibacterial, antioxidant,
minimum inhibitory concentration, bioautography, seasonal. |
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