EVALUATION OF QUANTITATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIALS OF HYDRO- METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ABEERE (HUNTERIA UMBELLATA) FRUITS

The present study evaluated quantitatively, the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial potentials of hydro-methanolic extract of Abeere (Hunteria Umbellate) fruits. The phytochemical constituents were determined according to standard methods. The test bacterial isolates were (Klebsiella species, Salmonella species, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus species) while the test fungal isolates were (Trichophyte species, Candida species and Microsporum species). The broth culture used for the study was prepared by inoculating the test organisms into nutrient broth and incubated at 37oc for 24 hours. The cultures were adjusted to 0.5 McFarland turbidity standards. About 0.2ml of the prepared broth was dispensed on the petri dishes after which the prepared Muller Hinton agar was pour plated and allowed to solidify. The ability of the various extract to inhibit the growth of the test organisms was determined using agar well diffusion technique. In agar well diffusion method, wells were made or bored on the surface of the inoculated agar plates using 4mm cork borer. About 0.1ml of the different concentration of each extract was transferred in the various petri dishes and was sufficiently spaced to prevent the resulting zones of inhibition. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the potent extract was determined according to the macro broth dilution technique. The antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed varying degrees of inhibition across the organisms tested. The phytochemical analysis in this study confirmed the presence of flavonoids (1.446 ± 0.042c) and phenols (1.643 ± 0.205b), tannins (1.232 ± 0.042d), cardiac glycosides (1.808 ± 0.339a) and steroids (0.940 ± 0.003e). The bioactive compounds found in this present study, have been recognized for their wide range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. From this study, the highest zone of inhibition was against Staphylococcus species with mean value of 15.00 ± 0.00b mm while Salmonella species has the lowest inhibition of 12.00 ± 0.00a mm. The activity of Hunteria Umbellate fruits against pathogenic bacteria like staphylococcus species, klebsiella species, Escherichia coli and Salmonella species present the extract as a potent natural remedies that can be used as alternative antibacterial agent against such diseases like typhoid, food poisoning, respiratory tract infection and skin/ urinary tract infection. These organisms have over the year been resistant to available antibiotics which necessitate the research for potent natural antibacterial agent that may not be prone to biochemical reactions that leads to resistance. Zone of inhibition of Hunteria Umbellate fruits extract on fungi isolate, shows inhibition values to be 10.50 ± 0.71a and 14.00 ± 1.41b mm for Candida spp and Microsporum spp respectively, there is significant differences in the zone of inhibition between the two isolates i.e they are differences between the two isolate therefore exhibiting antifungi properties. MIC (minimum inhibitory concerntration) of the extract on the bacterial isolates values ranges from 12.50 mg/ml for Staphylococcus species to 25.0 mg/ml for Klebsiella species specie while on fungal isolates values ranges from 12.50 mg/ml for Microsporum species to 50.00 mg/ml for Canidida albicans. This study provides scientific evidence to support the traditional use of Hunteria umbellata fruits in the treatment of microbial infections.