ABSTRACT

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances which can be used to treat various infectious diseases. Hence, methanol and aqueous extracts of Cissus aralioides leaves was analyzed for phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The plant extract showed significant (P<0.05) antioxidant activities in both methanol and aqueous extracts. The antioxidant activity of both methanolic and aqueous extract of C.aralioides increased as the concentration increased with methanolic extracts showing higher antioxidant activity but both still lower than the standard (ascorbic acid).The methanolic and aqueous extracts of the test plant also showed ppresence of phytochemicals; saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, alkanoids, tannins and sterol terpens. However, the antimicrobial activity of the plant extract was evaluated against three E. coli,S.typhi,S. aureus and C. albicans using the agar disc diffusion method.  The highest antimicrobial potentials was observed for the methanol extract of C.aralioides against Salmonella spp inhibiting (25%), 18.5mm mean diameter of inhibition and aqueous extract with (25%)15mm mean diameter of inhibition. While the rest of the three test organisms were resistant to the extracts. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) observed was 50mg/ml and 25mg/ml with methanol and aqueous extracts respectively. This indicates that C. aralioides are efficacious and can be used in the management of the disease cause by Salmonella spp. This study demonstrate that C. aralioides has antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, which could be attributed to its phytochemical composition. The study suggests that methanol and water are both good extracting solvent for C. aralioides. Further work is required to isolate the active antioxidant and antimicrobial principles of C. aralioides.    

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables viii

 Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE: 

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Aims and objectives 3

1.1.1 Aim 3

1.1.2 Specific objectives 3

CHAPTER TWO: 

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 Plants from the genus Cissus 5

2.2 Antibiotic resistance and infectious diseases  7

2.3 Mechanism of antibiotic resistance 10

2.3.1 Drug-inactivating enzyme 11

2.3.2 Increased elimination of the drug 11

2.3.3 Alternation in the target molecule 11

2.4 Acquisition of resistance 12

CHAPTER THREE:  

3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS 13

3.1 Materials 13

3.2 Chemicals, media and reagents 13

3.3 Equipment 14

3.4 Medicinal plant material 14

3.5 Methodology 14

3.5.1 Sample collection and isolation of microorganism 14

3.6 Identification of microorganisms 14

3.6.1 Gram stain 14

3.6.2 Catalase test 15

3.6.3 Coagulase test 15

3.6.4 Indole test 16

3.6.5 Sugar Fermentation Test 16

3.6.6 Citrate Utilization Test 16

3.7 Herbal preparations 17

3.7.1 Herbal extracts 17

3.7.2 Culture Media 17

3.8 Phytochemical Analysis 18

3.8.1 Saponins (The Froth Test) 18

3.8.2 Cyanogenic Glycosides 18

3.8.3 Alkaloids 18

3.8.4 Flavonoides 19

3.8.5 Sterols and Triterpenes 19

3.9 Determination of the antimicrobial effect of the Herbal Preparation 19

3.10 Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MICs)

and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBCs) of the crude Extracts 20

3.11 Antioxidant Test 21

CHAPTER FOUR:  

4.0 RESULTS 22

CHAPTER FIVE:   

5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 27

5.1 Discussion 27

5.2 Conclusion 28

5.3 Recommendation 28

References 29

LIST OF TABLES

Table Title Page

1:  Phytochemical analysis of methanolic and aqueous extracts 

of Cissus aralioides leaves. 23

2: Antioxidant effect of Cissus aralioides 24

3: Mean diameter of inhibition of Cissus aralioides leaves extract against

 the test organism. 25

4: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration  and Minimum Bactercidal 

Concentration  of Cissus aralioides against Salmonella spp.  26