The bioactive and phytochemical properties of Garcinia kola (Heckel) seed extract on some pathogens

In vitro antimicrobial activities of crude extract of Garcinia kola was investigated against some bacterial isolates comprising of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. The methanolic crude extract exhibited significant inhibitory action against eleven out of fifteen bacterial isolates tested at a final concentration of 20 mg/ml. The zones of inhibition exhibited by the extract against the tested organisms ranged between 10 and 23 mm, while the zones of inhibition exhibited by streptomycin and tetracycline used as standard antibiotics ranged between 15 and 25 mm; 12 and 25 mm respectively. On the other hand, the minimum inhibitory concentrations exerted by the extract against the bacterial isolates ranged between 0.079 and 5.00 mg/ml while the ranged exhibited by streptomycin was between 0.0157 and 0.50 mg/ml. The plant extract compared favourably with the two standard antibiotics used in this study. The following phytochemical compounds were present in the plant extract: flavonoids, tannins, cardiac glycoside, saponins, steroids and reducing sugars