Abstract

The antibacterial activity of methanol extracts of the ripe and unripe fruit of Cissus multistriata against Escherichia coli (Swine) ISB492, E. coli (Swine) ISB440, Serratia marcescens FD5/64, S. marcescens FD1/62, Staphylococcus aureus FD1/62 andBacillus cereus ISB517 were determined using agar ditch diffusion and tube dilution methods. The crude methanol extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against some of the tested bacterial isolates. Both ripe and unripe fruit extracts were inhibitory to S.marcescens (FD5/64). The unripe fruit extract also was inhibitory to S. marcescensFD1/62 and S. aureus FD1/62. The unripe fruit extract exhibited more antibacterial activity than the ripe fruit extract with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50 mg/ml. The present findings have added to the fact that C. multistriata has some medicinal values which the traditional medical practitioners have been tapping in their treatment of ailments in their localities. Further studies are required to identify the phytochemicals involved and to know the component that is lost during ripening that contributed to loss of some antibacterial activity of the ripe fruit extract of the plant. When these facts are harnessed, it will surely be useful in the development of some new drugs with broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity.

Key words: Cissus multistriata, antibacterial activity, ripe and unripe fruit, bacterial isolates, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), Kogi State, Nigeria.