Antibacterial Activity of Sida cuneifolia Vollesen against Staphylococcus aureus

Background: Sida cuneifolia is utilized traditionally to treat many ailments yet as far as we know its medicinal properties have not been scientifically tested locally in Kenya. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the antimicrobial properties of S. cuneifolia against Staphylococcus aureus and investigate the phytochemicals present in the leaves, roots and stem that are of medicinal importance.

Method: The plant was separated into root, leaves and stem bark. Water and ethanol were used for extraction of active ingredients. Antimicrobial bioassays and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests were done on S. aureus. Phytochemicals of medicinal importance were also determined using thin layer chromatography.

Results: Ethanol extracts had significantly higher activity than water. Roots showed higher inhibition than leaves and stem. The stem ethanol extracts had an MIC of 10-10 g/ml. Ethanol leaf and root extracts had all the five phytochemicals tested for (alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and terpenoids). Alkaloids were absent in ethanol stem extracts while both alkaloids and flavonoids were absent in the stem and leaf water extracts.

Conclusion: The results showed that the S. cuneifolia leaf and root ethanolic extracts could be used to treat ailments caused by S. aureus. It is recommended that further toxicological testing be done.