Ficus plant components have application in traditional medicine
because of the myriad uses they have been subjected to. The ease of
application is based on the secondary metabolites this plant contains.
The challenges faced by modern medicine especially in the complete cure
of microbially-associated diseases through abrupt and unpredictable
genetic mutations in the presence of conventional drugs informed the
investigation of the microbial inhibitory activities of the stem, root
and leaf parts of F. capensis against test disease causing
microorganisms. The phenolic, alkaloid and tannin phytochemical
fractions were highest in F. capensis bark extract (180, 165 and 155
μg/ml respectively) followed by that contained in the stem extract
(100, 90 and 85 μg/ml respectively). While Streptococcus faecalis
and Pseudomonas mirabilis were resistant to many different
antibiotics (87.5%), they were effectively inhibited by all
concentrations of ethanolic F. capensis extracts. The minimum
inhibitory concentration of ethanolic extracts ranged from 25% leaf and
stem extract concentration respectively (4mm) against S. faecalis and
(2mm) against P.mirabilis. All test isolates were 100% susceptible to
ethanol extract growth inhibition.