Antibacterial, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity of Gliricidia sepium Crude Extract against Human Pathogenic Bacteria

Aim: The present study is aimed at examine the antibacterial effect of crude extract of G. sepium to human pathogenic bacteria and its contents of its phytochemical and antioxidant properties.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted in the Department of Science Laboratory Technology. Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti Nigeria under ambient temperature and humidity between May and September 2023.

Methodology: The collected plant sample was identified by Mr. Omotayo F.O. of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology at Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. The plant was oven dried at 61.9°C for two hours and thirty minutes, then ground into a fine powder using an electric blender after being airdried for four weeks in a cold environment. 100 g of powdered leaves were steeped in 500 ml of distilled water, N-hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol, respectively, to prepare the extracts. Following the mixes' filtration via muslin fabric. Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris were obtained from Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekitti in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The antibacterial activity of was determined using the agar diffusion method.

Results: The results of the crude extract's antibacterial activity showed that the water extract had the largest zone of inhibition (12.00 ± 1:00 mm) against E. coli, while N-hexane had the lowest zone of inhibition (3.33 ± 5.77 mm) against S. typhi and P. vulgaris. Phenol content ranged from the lowest (6.19±0.01) in water extract to the highest (47.19 ± 0.02) in DCME. The plant demonstrated good amount in the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and DPPH scavenging assays. Methanol extract had the highest DPPH (23.53 ± 0.03) at the lowest concentration of 100 µg/ml, and it also produced the highest DPPH (62.63 ± 5.77) at the highest concentration of sample, 500 µg/ml.

Conclusion: The present work highlights the possible use of G. sepium leaf extracts as a source of antibacterial agents that can be used to prevent human diseases.