Antimicrobial Studies on Leaf and Stem Extracts of Solanum erianthum

Aims: The current study examines the leaves and stem extracts of Solanum erianthum for antimicrobial activities.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology Akure between September 2014 and July 2015.

Methodology: The extracts were screened for activity against bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Klebisidlae pneumonae) and fungal (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium notatum and Rhizopus stolonifer) organisms at concentrations between 6.25 and 200 mg/ml. Antimicrobial assays were carried out using agar diffusion method. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extracts were determined.

Results: Of all the extracts tested, the hexane extracts of the leaves and stem of S. erianthum had the highest activities against all the test organisms. The MIC values of both hexane extracts ranged between 1.25 mg/ml and 5.00 mg/ml.

Conclusion: This result corroborates the traditional usage of the plant for the treatment of microbial infections.