ANTIBACTERIAL EVALUATION OF TETRAPLEURA TETRAPTERA (SCHUMACH. &THONN.) TAUB. LEAF AND STEM BARK EXTRACTS AGAINST URINARY TRACT PATHOGENS
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most widespread bacterial infections globally affecting over 150 million individuals annually. These bacteria have developed resistance mechanism which have lowered the efficiency of conventional antibiotics, promoting the need for alternative medicines, especially those derived from medicinal plants. Tetrapleura tetraptera, a medicinal plant commonly used in West African ethnomedicine, has been used to treat UTIs for years. This study analyzed the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity of T. tetraptera ethanolic leaf and stem bark extracts against clinically isolated uropathogens. Phytochemical analysis identified the presence of flavonoids, tannins, steroids, cardiac glycosides, and saponins, with flavonoids being the most prevalent. Saponins were found exclusively in the leaf extract, while phenols, terpenoids, and phlobatannins were found only in the stem bark, which implies diverse chemical profiles and probably different medicinal properties. GC-MS analysis identified nineteen (19) compounds each in the leaf and stem bark. These compounds includes several antimicrobial compounds, fatty acids, terpenoids, and aromatic nitrogen-containing molecules, indicating a variety of antibacterial mechanisms. Antibacterial assays showed the stem bark extract had the highest inhibition zone (17.00 mm against K. pneumoniae) at full concentration (100%), whereas the leaf extract had more efficient antibacterial activity at lower concentrations (50% and 25%) and bactericidal effects against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and MRSA at 100 mg/mL. Although ciprofloxacin showed greater efficacy, T. tetraptera extracts showed significant antibacterial potential, supporting their ethnomedicinal use and potential as alternative therapies against resistant UTIs. These results reveal the plant’s potential as an alternative for developing novel plant-based antibacterial medicines.
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