Antimicrobial Activity of Mitracarpus scaber Leaf Extract against Some Human Pathogenic Microorganisms

The study was carried out with the aim to determine the antimicrobial effect of ethanolic leaf extract of  Mitracarpus scaber against some clinical isolates. The leaves were screened for some phytocompounds using standard  analytical methods.The antimicrobial activity of the leaf extract against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans was carried out using agar well diffusion and broth dilution methods. The results of phytochemical studies revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, triterpenes, phytosterols, tannins, and saponins. The results of the susceptibility test showed significant (p ≤0.05) inhibitory effect of the leaf extract against all the test isolates with mean zones of inhibition range of 10.75 ± 0.35 -16.25 ± 0.35 mg/ml,12.25 ± 0.35 - 17.75 ± 0.35 mg/ml and 13 ± 0.00 -20.75 ± 1.06 mg/ml for C. albicans, E. coli and S. aureus respectively. The effect was significantly higher against S. aureus having Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of 6.25mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml followed by E. coli (12.5mg/ml and 25mg/ml). The least activity was exhibited against C. albicans with MIC and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of 25mg/ml and 50mg/ml. The results showed that the ethanolic leaf extract of M. scaber can be used to treat diseases caused by E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans.