Quantitative Phytochemical and In vitro Antisalmonella activity of fractions of Harungana madagascariensis fruit Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae).

Abstract

Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella species is an infectious disease of serious public health concern due to drug resistant microbial strain. This has rendered treatment with antibiotics ineffective as well as costly. This study investigated the antisalmonella activity and phytoconstituents of fractions of Harungana madagascariensis fruit Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae) as a source of lead agents for the discovery and development of new and affordable drugs. The fruit of H. madagascariensis was extracted with 70% aqueous ethanol by cold maceration. The crude 70% aqueous ethanol extract was partitioned with n-hexane to yield n-hexane soluble portions (NHF) and Aqueous portion (AQP). The quantitative phytochemical screening was done by standard methods while the antimicrobial activity (MIC) of the crude extract and fractions (NHF and AQP) against ten (10) clinical isolates of Salmonella strains was done using agar dilution method with ciprofloxacin and oxytetracycline used as reference standard drugs for comparison. The quantitative analysis of the sample revealed high content of phenolics (22.24±0.07). Other constituents include flavonoids (1.89±0.03), tannins (0.42±0.05), and carbohydrates (1.37±0.06). The trend in antibacterial activity against the ten clinical isolate of salmonella was exhibited by NHF (MIC = <0.31 – 5.00 mg/ml) > crude extract (1.57 – 6.25 mg/ml) >AQP (>10.00 mg/ml).This result may provide a rational support for the traditional use of H. madagascariensis in the treatment of typhoid fever.