Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activity of Sarcocephalus latifolius Smith Roots Extracts

Aims: This work aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Sarcocephalus latifolius extracts. Methodology: Thus, phytochemical screening was qualitatively accessed using colorations or precipitations methods. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity, using the diffusion method, was evaluated on eight strains including two reference strains (Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC 49619 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) and six clinically isolated S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were determined by the microdilution method. Results: The phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, anthocyanins, mucilages, saponosides, C-heterosides and O-heterosides. Antimicrobial activity showed that the ethanolic extract with the lowest MIC (1.25 mg/ml) inhibited reference strains (S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853) and clinical isolated S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa strains. The largest inhibition diameter (19± 1.33) was obtained with the ethanolic extract against clinical isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa and (15.5± 1) against the reference one. The aqueous extract inhibited only reference strains. Conclusions: The data of this study indicate that the extracts of S. latifolius present antimicrobial properties. This may justify its traditional use in the treatment of microbial infections.

Vitamin A Status of Steady State Sickle Cell Anaemia Patients Compared to Normal Control in Maiduguri North Eastern Nigeria.

Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited disorder of haemoglobin characterized by sickled red blood cells and increased destruction of these cells. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. The aim of this study was to determine antioxidant vitamin A in steady state sickle cell anaemia patients and that of controls in Maiduguri, Borno state North-Eastern Nigeria. The study was carried out at UMTH Maiduguri. Sixty sickle cell anaemia patients were compared with sixty controls, aged ranged 1 year 3 months to 33 years of age, using HPLC for vitamin A status. The mean vitamin A in sickle cell patients according to age ranged between 0.047±0.002 to 0.053±0.002 mg/ml, while that of controls is 0.053± 0.001 to 0.091±0.001 mg/ml. The maximum mean serum vitamin A (0.053±0.001 mg/ml), in SCA was found in the business and children groups while the minimum vitamin A (0.039±0.001 mg/ml) was recorded in the un-employed SCA patients. The study showed the antioxidant vitamin A was found to be lower in the SCA subjects than in normal control in all age groups. Level of education also plays a role in the level of antioxidant vitamins in the blood.