Antibacterial Activity and Phytochemical Profile of Leaf Extracts of Ficus abutilifolia

Aims: To determine the antibacterial activities of leaf extract of Ficus abutilifolia against selected clinical bacterial isolates. Also, to analyse the extract for the constituent phytochemical compounds.

Study Design: In vitro antimicrobial assay of solvent fractions of plant leaf extract against selected clinical bacterial isolates.

Place and Duration of Study: Chemistry and Microbiology Laboratories, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, between February 2014 and February, 2015.

Methodology: The disc diffusion method was used to determine the susceptibility of clinical bacterial isolates to fractions of leaf extract of Ficus abutilifolia. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by the microdilution assay. The rate of killing of representative isolates as well as phytochemical profile of plant leaf extract were studied using standard methods.

Results: F. abutilifolia exhibited broad spectrum antibacterial activity against all the tested bacterial isolates with mean zone diameter of inhibition ranging from 9.33±0.58 to 31.67±0.58 mm. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest antibacterial activity with mean zone diameter of inhibition against the tested bacterial isolates being 27.67±1.15 to 31.67±0.58 mm. The MIC of the fractions ranged from 0.0313 to 0.250 µg/ml which compared favourably with that of the reference drug, streptomycin with mean MIC of 0.125 to 0.250 µg/ml. The ethyl acetate fraction was the most potent fraction with mean MIC of 0.0313 to 0.0625 µg/ml. Phytochemical assay of leaf extract revealed the presence of tannins, anthraquinones, saponnins, flavonoids, alkaloids, reducing sugar, cardiac glycosides, carbohydrates and phlobatannins.

Conclusion: The significant antibacterial activities exhibited by the ethyl acetate and other fractions suggest the presence of bioactive compounds in the leaf extract of F. abutilifolia. The plant could be a good source of antibacterial agents which can be developed as a pharmaceutical product. This study also supports the traditional use of the plant in the treatment of several infectious ailments.