PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ACANTHUS EBRACTEATUS

This study is aimed at determining the phytochemicals and some chemical constituents of the methanol and petroleum ether extracts of Acanthus ebracteatus. The phytochemical classes were determined by standard methods followed by GC-MS. Wells’ method was used to determine the anti-microbial activity. The presence of tannins, phenolic compounds, reducing sugars, terpenoids and phlobatannins were found in the methanol extract and tannins, alkaloids, saponins, steroids, reducing sugars, cardiac active glycosides, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, anthraquinones and resins were present in the petroleum ether extract. A total of forty-two (42) components were determined from the GC analysis of the methanol extracts, and a total of thirtytwo (32) components were determined from the GC analysis of the petroleum ether extracts. The antimicrobial analysis of methanol extract showed that of Acanthus ebracteatus exhibited a pronounced antimicrobial effect on some of the tested organisms. Specifically, the extract inhibited the growth of Methicillin resist. staph aureus, Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria, as well as yeast (Candida albicans) isolates. From the antimicrobial results obtained, it could therefore be inferred that the extract of Acanthus ebracteatus possessed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as antifungal activities with a varying sensitivity of the microorganisms to the extracts.We can therefore suggest that theA. ebracteatus leaves is a potential broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. The IC50 is the concentration of an antioxidant containing substance required to scavenge 50% of the initial DPPH radicals. The lower the IC50 value, the more potent the substance at scavenging DPPH and this implies a higher antioxidant activity.