Abstract

ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES OF WHOLE PLANT EXTRACTS OF Setaria barbata (Poaceae) AND OF LEAVES AND FRUITS OF Pinus sylvestris (Pinaceae)

Kevin Christ Fogue Totzo, Marcelle Aude Mafo Fokam, Joseph Ngoupayo, Aristide Mfifen, O’Neal Dorsel Youté, Pascal Blaise Well à Well à Koul, and Pierre René Fotsing Kwetche*

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Abstract

Exploration through plants used in phytotherapy is one of the requirements to the current struggle against infectious diseases with the increasing microbial resistance to conventional drugs. The present investigation aimed at assessing the antibacterial and antifungal potential of the fresh whole plant of Setaria barbata (Poaceae) and, of the dried leaves and fruits of Pinus sylvestris (Pinaceae) harvested in Cameroon. Subsequent to harvesting, cleaning and grinding, extraction was conducted by maceration in 70% ethanol and distilled water. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening, prior to investigation through the minimum inhibitory, bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations (MIC, MBC, MFC, respectively); and activity type. Test organisms comprised Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, S. hominis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, T. torsurans, and T. interdigitale. The phytochemical screening revealed groups of secondary metabolites in which the larger diversity was observed in the hydro-ethanol extracts. All extracts were active on subjected microorganisms. The MIC values globally varied from 0.195 mg/mL through 50 mg/mL. The MLCs varied from 25 mg/mL through 200 mg/mL in bacteria and 25 mg/mL through 400 mg/mL in fungi. Overall, extracts exhibited bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities. These results support the use of the leaves and the fruits of P. sylvestris and S. barbata for therapeutic purposes in case of infections; but additional investigations are necessary to address the sustainable use of the extracts in infection control.

Keywords: Setaria barbata, Pinus sylvestris, medicine, antibacterial, antifungal potential.