PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF GAMBIA BUSH TEA (Lippia multiflora) AND Combretum glutinosum PLANTS USED AS MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE GAMBIA.

Abstract

Medicinal plants in The Gambia and most West African countries are generally sold in the markets especially in rural
areas and the rate at which they are employed by users for the treatment of various ailment without recourse to
knowledge of the chemical constituents, safety and dosage is worrisome. In this research, a preliminary investigation
was conducted to assess the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of Lippia multiflora and Combretum
glutinosum used as poultice for skin infections in The Gambia. Extraction was conducted using Soxhlet extractor with
methanol as a solvent while phytochemical screening was performed according to standard methods. The micro-
organisms used for the antimicrobial assay were six clinical pathogens; Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pneumonia. The result of the phytochemical
screening showed that the methanol extract of L. multiflora contains alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins,
glycosides, phenolics, terpenoids and eugenols, while C. glutinosum contains glycosides, saponins, flavonoids,
eugnols, terpenoids, and alkaloids. The antimicrobial analysis revealed zones of inhibition at a concentration of 1000
mg/mL: 05.40 mm (Echerichia coli ATCC 25922), 27.50 mm (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 2592317), 15.40 mm
(Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853), 05.00 mm (Streptococcus pneumonia ATCC 49619) and 21.50 mm
(staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228) for L. multiflora methanol extracts while C. glutinosum indicated zones
of inhibition at same concentration with: 0.50 mm (Echerichia coli ATCC 25922), 32.50 mm (Staphylococcus aureus
ATCC 2592317), 5.50 mm (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853), 25.00 mm (Streptococcus pneumonia ATCC
49619) and 26.50 mm (Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228). Both plant extracts indicated activity when
compared with the standard control (Ciprofloxacin). The result of this study showed that the two plants contained
phytochemical constituents and possesses antimicrobial activity which corroborate the use of the plant as
supplementary sources for the traditional treatment of skin infections caused by microorganisms