Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Properties of Different Parts of Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime fruit) as Used Locally

We investigated the potency of Citrus aurantifolia (Lime fruit); against pathogens; in the different forms in which this fruit plant is used locally (juice of the fruit; burnt rind of the fruit commonly known as ""epa-ijebu"" in the Yoruba dialect) and the oil obtained from steam distillation of the fruit. The antimicrobial activity of ""epa-ijebu"" in different solvents was also compared. The solvents include palm-wine (a local alcoholic drink tapped from palm trees); Seaman's Schnapps 40alcoholic drink; water; ethanol and fermented water from 3 days soaked milled maize known as ""ekan-ogi"" or ""omidun"" in the Yoruba dialect. Antimicrobial activity was carried out by the agar well diffusion. The clinical isolates used included Anaerobic facultative bacteria; namely: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25213; Staphylococcus aureus; Salmonella paratyphi;Shigella flexnerii; Streptococcus faecalis; Citrobacter spp; Serratia spp; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; and Escherichia coli; Fungi such as Aspergilus niger and Candida albicans; and Anaerobes which includes Bacteroides spp; Porphyromonas spp; and Clostridium spp. Crude extracts of all solvents used varied in zones of inhibition. The anaerobes and the Gram-positive bacteria were susceptible to all the extracts with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 32mg/ml-128g/ml. The activity against the fungi showed only the oil extract potent for A. niger; while Candida albicans was susceptible to all the extracts with MIC ranging from 256mg/ml-512mg/ml. The Gram-negatives have MIC ranging from 64mg/ml-512mg/ml. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranged between 32mg/ml to 512mg/ml depending on isolates and extracting solvent. The oil and palm-wine extract of ""epa-ijebu"" showed greater activity than the other extracts. The killing rate of the schnapps extract on S. aureus and E. coli was 1 and 3.5 hours respectively

Medicinal plants useful for malaria therapy in Okeigbo, Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria

There is increasing resistance of malaria parasites to chloroquine; the cheapest and commonly used drug for malaria in Nigeria. Artemisin; a product from medicinal plant indigenous to China; based on active principle of Artemisia annua; has been introduced into the Nigerian market. However not much has been done to project antimalaria properties of indigenous medicinal plants. This study thus; has the main objective of presenting medicinal plants used for malaria therapy in Okeigbo; Ondo State; South west Nigeria. Focus group discussions and interview were held about plants often found useful for malaria therapy in the community. Fifty species (local names) including for example: Morinda lucida (Oruwo); Enantia chlorantha (Awopa); Alstonia boonei (Ahun); Azadirachta indica (Dongoyaro)and Khaya grandifoliola (Oganwo) plants were found to be in use for malaria therapy at Okeigbo; Southwest; Nigeria . The parts of plants used could either be the barks; roots; leaves or whole plants. The recipes also; could be a combination of various species of plants or plant parts. This study highlights potential sources for the development of new antimalarial drugs from indigenous medicinal plants found in Okeigbo; Nigeria