Antitubercular and Phytochemical Investigation of Methanol Extracts of Medicinal Plants Used by the Samburu Community in Kenya
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Date
2010-08
Authors
Mariita, Richard M.
Ogol, C.K.P.O.
Oguge, N. O.
Okemo, P. O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bioline International
Abstract
Purpose: To determine the potential benefits of nine medicinal plants used by the Samburu community
for the treatment of tuberculosis.
Methods: The extract was tested against four strains of Mycobacteria namely; Mycobacterium
tuberculosis (Mtb), M. Kansasii (Mk), M. fortuitum (Mf), and M. smegmatis (Ms) using BACTEC MGIT
960 system. The crude extracts were also analyzed for the presence of phytochemical constituents.
Results: Both the extracts of Scadoxus multiflorus and Acacia nilotica showed strong antimycobacterial
activity against the four tuberculosis-causing strains. Eurphobia scarlatina was the most active against
both the slow (Mtb and Mk) and the fast (Mf and Ms) growers with Zero GUs at 0.5mg/ml.
Phytochemical screening indicated presence or absence of tannins, saponins and flavonoids,
terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids in the extracts.
Conclusion: The data suggest that some of the methanol extracts could be a rich source of
antituberculosis agents. The results further show that there is some merit in the use of some of the
plants studied in alternative medical practice. Pharmacological and toxicological studies of the active
plants are still under investigation.
Description
Publisher version (Bioline International) available at www.bioline.org.br/pdf?pr10045
Keywords
Medicinal plants, Methanol extract, Antituberculosis, Samburu
Citation
Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research August 2010; 9 (4): 379-385