Antimicrobial Studies of Aqueous Extract of the Leaves of Lophira Lanceolata

ABSTRACT The antimicrobial activity of aqueous extract of the leaves of Lophira lanceolata was tested on Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Selaginella selaginoides, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogens. The micro organisms were chosen because they are associated with dysentery, diarrhoea , skin infection, especially burn sites, wounds, pressure, sores and ulcer, The In vitro-antimicrobial assay recorded the zones of inhibition of bacterial and fungal growths. Extracts with inhibition zones greater than (>10mm), were considered active The (MBC) of the aqueous extract showed considerable inhibition of the micro-organisms at higher doses. While the extract inhibited Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogens, at 800 mg/kg, the extracts are active at 1000 mg/kg. From the result of the MIC it was observed that the leaves aqueous extract shows comparable minimum inhibitory concentration on all the micro organisms with growth of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus aureus, Streptococcus Pyogens and Selaginella selaginoides Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 6.25mg/ml while for, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, Shigella dysenteriae and Candida albicans showing at 12.5 mg/ml The leaves aqueoues extract shows comparable MBC to Tetracycline and Ciprofloxacin, for organisms with 3.125 mg/ml for Shigella dysenteriae, Bacillus subtilis, 6.25mg/ml for Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger while showing 12.5 mg/ml for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogens and Selaginella selaginoides. This is being reported in this plant for the first time