Volume 17, Issue 39, January - June, 2023

Phytochemical and antibacterial activity of Mormodica balsamina leaves crude extract and fractions

Abubakar Abdulhamid¹, Sanusi Ahmad Jega¹, Ibrahim Sani¹, Ahmad Ibrahim Bagudo², Rabiat Abubakar^1♦

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria
²Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Kebbi State Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Momordica balsamina (Balsam apple) leaves is used in the management of several human diseases, it also serves as vegetable to many tribes in African countries, Nigeria inclusive. Bacterial infections are fundamental cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Therefore, the need to search for novel antibacterial agent from plants is vital. This research is aimed at determining the phytoconstituent and antibacterial activity of Mormodica balsamina leaves crude extract and its fractions. Mormodica balsamina leaves were extracted using methanol (crude extract) and later extracted using four solvents of varying polarities. The phytochemical screening was conducted using standard methods, while antibacterial activity was carried out using agar well diffusion method. MIC and MBC were carried out using broth dilution method. The result for phytochemical screening of crude extract revealed presence of phenols, saponins, glycosides, tannins, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids while flavonoids and anthocyanins were not detected. The antibacterial activity of crude extract and its fractions showed varied degrees of sensitivity (zone of inhibition) against tested bacteria. The methanol crude extract and n-butanol fraction showed higher antibacterial activity in both concentrations (100 and 300mg/ml) compared to n-hexane, ethylacetate and aqueous fractions. The results indicated that Mormodica balsamina leaves might be used as natural antibacterial alternative against infections caused by these bacteria. These also provide preamble for the determination of antimicrobial agents from plants in subsequent research.

Keywords: Phytochemicals, Antibacterial Activity, Mormodica balsamina, MIC, MBC.

Drug Discovery, 2023, 17(39), e11dd1012

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v17i39.e11dd1012

Published: 19 February 2023