EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF COMBRETUM

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of extracts of Combretum micranthum L. (root) were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans respectively. The plant (root) extracts were obtained using ethanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate and distilled water solvents. All the test organisms were studied using the Agar Diffusion Method (ADM) and were susceptible to crude and ethyl acetate extracts but Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were resistant. The extracts of Combretum micranthum L. had broader spectrum of activity than the commercial antibiotics tested against isolates. Results of the study confirmed the chemotherapeutic values in ethnomedicine of extracts of this plant in the treatment of various ailments