Antimicrobial Efficacy of Vitellaria paradox (Shea Butter Tree) Extracts Against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Abstract

he antibacterial activities of the ethanolic extracts of leaf and stem bark of Vitellaria paradoxa were investigated. The extracts were tested against the bacterial pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using the agar well diffusion techniques. Ethanolic extracts of the plant parts showed activity against all the bacterial pathogens tested. At the highest extract concentration (200 mg/ml), the leaf extract exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity, while no activity was detected at the lowest concentration (3.13 mg/ml) against the tested isolates. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were more susceptible to all extracts of V.paradoxa, the efficacy of ethanolic extracts of Vitellaria paradoxa was compared to commercial antibiotic streptomycin. There were differences in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of all the Vitellaria paradoxa ethanolic extracts with respect to the type of organism. Qualitative phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of saponins, tannins and alkaloids as the active principles of Vitellaria paradoxa's antimicrobial activity. V. Paradoxa could be used as a potential source of antibiotic substance for a drug development.

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