Edwin Akumu

Balanites Aegytiaca Smoke Extract Isolation of Antimicrobial Agents: Chemistry of the Smoke Extract of Balanites Aeagytiaca Edwin Akumu

Antimicrobial activity of B. aegyptiaca bark smoke extracts were investigated against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Candida albicans. The smoke was extracted by use of different solvents. These were subjected to phytochemical tests. The different extracts were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility using disc diffusion method. Positive and negative controls of Streptomycin (10 µg/disc) and drugless media were also set respectively. The test microorganisms were collected from specimens of patients who are given medical treatment in MTRH. The strongest inhibition was observed in the cases of the crude extract on E. coli (12mm) and C.albicans (8mm) compared to Streptomycin which had a diameter of inhibition of 13mm and 12mm on E.coli and C. albicans respectively. This study may help to suggest an alternative possible leading compound for development of new antimicrobial agents against E. coli and C. albicans. It may also be emphasized here that this in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing results need standardization with further studies and it should also have a correlation with in vivo therapeutic response experiments.