Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the leaf and bark of Khaya senegalensis

Khaya senegalensis, a member of the family Meliaceae, is a plant commonly used by the local people of Nasarawa State of Nigeria for the treatment of dysentery, mucous diarrhoea and wound infections. Theleaves and the bark of the plant were screened for their phytochemical properties and antimicrobial activity. Ethanol was used for the extraction of the active compounds. The test organisms wereStaphylococcus aureus, Steptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Results of the phytochemical screening showed that saponins, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, steriods, terpenoidsand flavonoids were the active compounds present in the leaves and bark of the plant. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that S. aureus, S. feacalis and C. albicans were susceptible to both the leaf and bark extracts, while E. coli was not. The extracts were also found to be bactericidal to S. aureus and S. feacalis, and fungicidal to C. albicans. This study demonstrates the potentials of K. senegalensis as a source of antimicrobials that could be harness for use in the Health Care Delivery process