Anticonvulsant and antimicrobial screening of hydroethanolic extracts of plants used in traditional medicine

Plants used in traditional medicine in Bukoba, Tabora and Dar es Salaam were screened for anticonvulsant and antimicrobial activities. Hydroethanolic extracts of sixteen plant species Isoberlinia angolensis (Legurninosae) roots, Lannzea shimperi (Anacardiaceae) roots, Ekebergia beugz.rele.r1sis• (Meliaceae) roots, Circus comifolia (Vitaceae) leaves, Entadaabyssinica (Mimosaceae) roots, Mergaaritaria discoide (Euphorbiaceae) roots, Tamarindus Indica (Leguminosae) roots, Teclea nobilis,(Rutaceae) roots, Lonchocarpus capasa (Leguminosae) roots, Grewia bicolor Juss. (Tiliaceae) leaves, Ageratum conyzoides L. (Compositae) whole plant, Obetia metric (uriticaceae) bark, Lantanatrifolia L. (Verbenaceae) leaves. Sapium ellipticum (Eupl1orbiaceae).leaves, Leaves, Leonotisnepetifolin (L) Airtf (Labiatae) leaves and Alchornea cordifolin (Euphorbiaceae) roots were screened. The plants were collected based on ethnomedical information provided by tradition al herbal practitioners and literature review (NAPRALET Data base). Results of the study revealed that all sixteen tested extracts for anticonvulsant activity showed no significant activity (P>0.05). Six among nine plant extracts screened for antimicrobial activity showed varying activity against the test organisms; staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive), Vibrio cholera (Gram-negative), Bacillus cereus and Proteus mirabilis Lantana trifolia showed the smallest MIC of` l.95mgfrn1 on S. aureus while Alchornea cordifolin showed the highest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 15.25mg/ml in both S. aureus and B. cereus. The anticonvulsant activity results remain inconclusive and it is suggested that more experiments using other models of anticonvulsant activity should be carried out. The antimicrobial results of the extracts give a promising future use of the plants in the area of treatment of bacterial diseases and suggest the need for more detailed research to explore the clinical utility and to check on their safety