Full Length Research Paper

Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis of elements’ content and antimicrobial properties of Pereskia bleo and Goniothalamus umbrosus

Siddig I. Abbdewahab¹*, Nooraini M. Ain¹, Ahmad B. Abdul¹, Manal M. E. Taha¹ and Tengku Azmi Tengku Ibrahim^{2, 3}

¹UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research laboratory, Institute of Bioscience (IBS), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.

²Microscopy Unit, Institute of Bioscience (IBS), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.

³Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medcine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: siddigroa@yahoo.com. Tel: 006012 656 5990.

Accepted 27 February, 2009

This study was designed to investigate elements’ content and anti-microbial effects of two Malaysian plants, Pereskia bleo and Goniothalamus umbrosus. Elements’ analysis was carried out using Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis combined with Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (EDX, VPSEM). Anti-microbial screening was performed using disc diffusion method using two gram-positive bacteria, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Bacillus subtilis B29, and other two gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 60690 and Salmonella choleraesuis. The elemental distribution revealed the presence of C, O, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Al, Si and Fe, in these medicinal plants and their relative weight percentages were estimated. A variable susceptibility of microbial strains of this study towards Pereskia bleo and Goniothalamus umbrosus was noticeably observed. From this study, it is shown that the analysis of elements of anticancer plants can be considered as potential sources for providing information regarding the medicinal usages of plants.

Key words: Pereskia bleo, Goniothalamus umbrosus, energy-dispersive X-ray, antimicrobial property.