Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Vulnerability Analysis of Phyto Mix (Bitter Leaf, Utazi and Tumeric) on E. Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus.

Prof. Innime Righteous, Theresa Awortu Jeremiah PhD

Abstract

The study examined the vulnerability of a Phyto Mixture composed of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), Utazi (Gongronema latifolium), and turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance has necessitated the search for alternative therapeutic agents from medicinal plants, particularly in developing countries where herbal medicine is widely used. The study adopted a secondary data research design involving a systematic review of existing literature sourced from peer- reviewed journals, textbooks, and scientific databases. Findings from reviewed studies revealed that the individual plants contain bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, and curcuminoids, which contribute to their antimicrobial activities. The review further indicated that combined herbal formulations tend to exhibit stronger antibacterial effects due to synergistic interactions among phytochemicals. It was also observed that Staphylococcus aureus showed higher vulnerability to the Phyto Mixture compared to Escherichia coli, which demonstrated moderate resistance due to its Gram- negative cell wall structure. The study concluded that the Phyto Mixture possesses significant antimicrobial potential and may serve as a promising alternative or complementary therapy against bacterial infections. It recommends further laboratory-based experimental validation, toxicity assessment, and standardization of herbal formulations to ensure safety and efficacy. The study highlights the importance of medicinal plants in addressing antibiotic resistance and supports continued research into plant-based antimicrobial agents for public health improvement.

References

Akinpelu, D. A. (1999). Antimicrobial activity of Vernonia amygdalina leaves. Fitoterapia, 70(4), 432–434. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(99)00057-5 Alara, O. R., Abdurahman, N. H., Abdul Mudalip, S. K., & Olalere, O. A. (2017). Phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Vernonia amygdalina: A review. Journal of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Biotechnology, 2(1), 80–96. Ayoola, G. A., Coker, H. A. B., Adesegun, S. A., et al. (2008). Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activities of selected medicinal plants. African Journal of Biotechnology, 7(17), 3120–3126. Burt, S. (2004). Essential oils: Their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 94(3), 223–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.03.022 CLSI. (2023). Performance standards for antimicrobial vulnerability analysis (33rd ed.). Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Davies, J., & Davies, D. (2010). Origins and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 74(3), 417–433. https://doi.org/10.1128/MMBR.00016-10 Edim, H. E., Egomi, U. G., Ekpo, U. F., & Okon, E. A. (2012). A review of Gongronema latifolium as a medicinal plant. International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 1(8), 204–208. Ekor, M. (2014). The growing use of herbal medicines: Issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 4, 177. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2013.00177 Eleyinmi, A. F. (2007). Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Gongronema latifolium. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, 8(5), 352–358. Erasto, P., Grierson, D. S., & Afolayan, A. J. (2006). Bioactive sesquiterpene lactones from Vernonia amygdalina. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 106(1), 117–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2005.12.016 Farombi, E. O., & Owoeye, O. (2011). Antioxidative and chemopreventive properties of Vernonia amygdalina. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 8(6), 2533–2555. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8062533 Harborne, J. B. (1998). Phytochemical methods: A guide to modern techniques of plant analysis (3rd ed.). Chapman & Hall. Hewlings, S. J., & Kalman, D. S. (2017). Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health. Foods, 6(10), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100092 Ijeh, I. I., & Ejike, C. E. C. C. (2011). Current perspectives on the medicinal potentials of Vernonia amygdalina. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5(7), 1051–1061. Kaper, J. B., Nataro, J. P., & Mobley, H. L. T. (2004). Pathogenic Escherichia coli. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2(2), 123–140. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro818 Madigan, M. T., Bender, K. S., Buckley, D. H., Sattley, W. M., & Stahl, D. A. (2021). Brock biology of microorganisms (16th ed.). Pearson. Morebise, O., Fafunso, M. A., Makinde, J. M., Olajide, O. A., & Awe, E. O. (2002). Antiinflammatory property of Gongronema latifolium. Phytotherapy Research, 16(S1), S75–S77. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1039 Murray, C. J. L., Ikuta, K. S., Sharara, F., et al. (2022). Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019. The Lancet, 399(10325), 629–655. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140- 6736(21)02724-0 Nazzaro, F., Fratianni, F., De Martino, L., Coppola, R., & De Feo, V. (2013). Effect of essential oils on pathogenic bacteria. Pharmaceuticals, 6(12), 1451–1474. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph6121451 Sharifi-Rad, J., Rayess, Y. E., Rizk, A. A., et al. (2020). Curcuma longa L. (turmeric): Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities. Phytotherapy Research, 34(2), 340–357. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6529 Silhavy, T. J., Kahne, D., & Walker, S. (2010). The bacterial cell envelope. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 2(5), a000414. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a000414 Sofowora, A., Ogunbodede, E., & Onayade, A. (2013). The role and place of medicinal plants in healthcare delivery. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 10(5), 210–229. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v10i5.2 Teow, S. Y., Liew, K., Ali, S. A., Khoo, A. S., & Peh, S. C. (2016). Antibacterial action of curcumin against Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2853045. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/2853045 Tong, S. Y. C., Davis, J. S., Eichenberger, E., Holland, T. L., & Fowler, V. G. (2015). Staphylococcus aureus infections: Epidemiology and management. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 28(3), 603–661. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00134-14 Tyagi, P., Singh, M., Kumari, H., Kumari, A., & Mukhopadhyay, K. (2015). Bactericidal activity of curcumin against clinical isolates. Journal of Antibiotics, 68(5), 353–361. https://doi.org/10.1038/ja.2014.144 Ugochukwu, N. H., & Babady, N. E. (2003). Antioxidant effects of Gongronema latifolium. Fitoterapia, 74(7–8), 712–714. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(03)00137-9 Wagner, H., & Ulrich-Merzenich, G. (2009). Synergy research: Approaching a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals. Phytomedicine, 16(2–3), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2008.12.018 WHO. (2023). Antimicrobial resistance fact sheet. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH