IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC-AQUA EXTRACT OF TRAGIA BREVIPES LEAVES
Date
2014-02Author
Anthoney, SwamyT
Mutuku, Ngule Chrispus
Obey, Jackie K
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The plant Tragia brevipes is used traditionally as purgative and in the treatment of stomach problems, in the lower
eastern part of Kenya. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antibacterial activities of the crude extract of
Tragia brevipes leaves. The crude was extracted using methanol and water in the ratio of 9:1. Antibacterial activity
was done using well diffusion methods and the data analysed using SPSS software to compare the means and also
check whether there was significance between the zones of inhibitions caused by the plant extract and also those
caused by the positive control. Tragia brevipes was found to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli (12.00 ± 0.577),
Salmonella sp. (10.33 ± 0.333), Enterobacter aerogenes (9.33 ± 0.333), Bacillus cereus (23.67 ± 0.882), Serratia
liquefaciens (5.00 ± 2.646) and Proteus vulgaris (8.67 ± 0.333). The results obtained scientifically justify the
traditional use of the plant to treat against enteric microbes such as Salmonella typhi and Enterobacter aerogenes.
Tragia brevipes can be used as an antibiotic against all the microorganisms tested.