LEAF AND FLOWER EXTRACTS OF Piliostigma malabaricum: PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND ANTIBACTERIAL APPLICATION
O. U. IGWE *
Department of Chemistry, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
I. E. OKEKE
Department of Chemistry, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Piliostigma malabaricum is used in traditional herbal remedies for diseases which informed this research to probe its leaf and flower constituents using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. Twenty-two constituents were observed in each of the leaf and flower extracts. The leaf contained fatty acids (79.32%), hydrocarbons (6.63%), aldehyde (3.78%), amide (2.91%), ester (2.36%), alkaloids (1.72%), phosphate ester (1.27%), cyclic ether (1.04%) and alcohol (0.98%). The flower contained fatty acids (81.54%), ester (5.79%), alkaloids (3.62%), aldehyde (3.01%), hydrocarbons (2.44%), amide (2.17%), ketone (1.28%) and alcohol (0.15%). The extracts inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and the extent of inhibitions was comparable to that of gentamycin used as a standard antibacterial agent. The flower extract proved to be a more potent antibacterial than the leaf extract. This research provides evidence for P. malabaricum application in traditional herbal practices.
Keywords: Piliostigma malabaricum, phytochemicals, leaf extract; flower extract, antibacterial