Full Length Research Paper

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Piliostigma reticulatum (DC.) Hochst extracts

Alexandre Zerbo¹,  Jean Koudou^2*, Noufou Ouédraogo¹,  Rasmata Ouédraogo³ and Innocent P. Guissou¹

¹Laboratoire de Pharmacologie-Toxicologie (UFR/SDS), Université de Ouagadougou, 03BP7021 Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.

²Laboratoire de chimie de substances naturelles, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Bangui, BP908 Bangui Centrafrique.

³Laboratoire de bactériologie-Virologie (UFR/SDS), Université de Ouagadougou, 03BP7021 Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: jean_koudou@yahoo.fr.  Tel: +226.78.87.03.38.   Fax: +226.50.36.85.73.

Accepted 7 August, 2009

   Abstract

The methanol and aqueous extracts of Piliostigma reticulatum barks were investigated for its antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The antioxidant test using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method demonstrated important radical scavenging activity for the methanol extract with IC₅₀ = 0,37 ± 0,04 µgmL^-1.  The 2 extracts were then examined for antibacterial activity by using the broth micro dilution method. The extracts possessed the antibacterial effect against the almost germs tested; the aqueous extract exhibited a better activity than methanol extract. These results indicate that methanol and aqueous extracts of P. reticulatum could be used as a source of antioxidant and antibacterial ingredients in the food industry.

Key words: Piliostigma reticulatum, Ceasalpiniaceae, bark extracts, antioxidant, antibacterial.