ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ALCHORNEA CORDIFOLIA LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST MULTI DRUG RESISTANT EXTENDED SPECTRUM BETA LACTAMASE PRODUCING UROPATHOGENIC KLEBSIELLA SPP AND E. COLI ISOLATES

Abstract

Many bacterial species have been reported to develop resistance to antibiotics commonly prescribed for urinary tract
infections. Therefore, the need to search for natural alternative for remedy of this problem cannot be overemphasized.
The study was aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of Alchornea cordifolia leaf extracts against multidrug
resistant extended spectrum beta lactamase producing uropathogenic Klebsiella spp and E. coli isolates. Phytochemical
screening of the Alchornea cordifolia leaf extracts was carried out using standard methods. Agar well diffusion and agar
dilution methods were employed to determine the zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum
bactericidal concentration. The phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts revealed the presence of secondary
metabolites such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides. The ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts showed
antibacterial activity against multidrug resistant ESBL producing uropathogenic isolates with ethanol extract having
widest zone of inhibition (17 mm) with MICs ranging from 2.5 to 20 mg/ml for both the isolates. The findings of this
study suggest that Alchornea cordifolia leaves could be employed as potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of
uropathogenic infections