ABSTRACT
Jatropha curcas L. leaf and stem were extracted successively with hexane, ethylacetate, methanol and aqueous methanol. The extracts were tested in vitro for activity against standard strains microorganisms and clinical isolates. The zones of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined. The organisms exhibited different degree of susceptibility to the inhibitory activity of the crude extracts. The zones of inhibition, MIC and MBC/MFC ranged from 14-37 mm, 1.25-10 mg/ml and 2.5-20 mg/ml for the susceptible organisms, respectively. The methanol extract was the most active and exhibited good activity against most food pathogens like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae, Psuedomonas aerugunosa, P. flourescenses, Klebsiella pneumonia and K. ozaenae. The highest activity was an MIC of 1.25 mg/ml and MBC of 2.5mg/ml. The activities observed could be due to the presence of some of the secondary metabolites like tannins, alkaloids, sterols, glycosides, saponins, terpenes and flavonoids which have been reported from the plant by other workers.
ABSTRACT
Lippia multiflora Moldenke is a tropical to subtropical herbaceous aromatic plant widely distributed throughout tropical Africa, South and Central American countries. It has been traditionally used in various communities for different purposes ranging from therapeutic febrifuge in form of tea and fumigants to non-therapeutic drink for relaxation and sedation, and as well as condiments. Of most economic and scientific importance is the essential oil in the aerial part of the plant, the “lippia oil”. The therapeutic properties of the plant are largely attributed by researchers to the oil. This review is aimed at collating all the scientific data available on the oil and drawing attention to its chemical components, pharmacological activities and resources for industrial exploration and exploitation.