Antibacterial Activity of Boswellia dalzielii Leaves Extracts against Some Pathogenic Bacterial Isolates

Aim: The study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial activity of Boswllia dalzielii leaves extracts and its major phytochemical constituents.

Materials and Methods: The aqueous, methanol and chloroform extracts from the leaves of the plant was tested using agar well diffusion method for their antibacterial activity against some members of Enterobacteriaceae family isolated from diarrheic stool sample (Escherichia coli, Shigella spp, Salmonella typhi and Klebsiella spp).

Results: Preliminary phytochemical analyses showed that the leaves extracts contain alkaloids, tannins, terpenoid, Anthraquinone, reducing sugar, amino acid, flavonoid, saponins, glycosides and phenols. The results of antibacterial activity of the leaves extracts shows that the plant extracts were active against the microorganisms tested. The methanol extract showed the highest zones of inhibition against tested organisms compared to aqueous and chloroform extract. Statistical analysis of the result showed that an average zone of inhibition of 15.44 mm, 14.78 mm, 12.92 mm and 11.31 mm for E. coli, Shigella spp S. typhi and Klebsiella spp, respectively were found. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the extracts ranged between 6.25 – 100 mg/ml.

Conclusion: The extracts of the plant leaves demonstrated antibacterial activity against microorganisms causing diarrhea stool due to presence of phytochemical constituents hence, the application of the decoction of leaves of the plants in ethno medicine is justified.