Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECTS OF THE LEAF EXTRACTS OF CHROMOLAENA ORDORATA (SIAM WEEDS) ON SOME HUMAN PATHOGENS

*Chinedu Stanley Mbajiuka

Abstract

Antimicrobial effects of Chromolaena odorata (commonly called Siam weed), were tested on Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Different solvents such as methanol and chloroform were used for the leaf extraction. Test organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi were susceptible to methanol extracts of Chromolaena odorata at concentration of 25, 50 and 100mg/ml with zone of inhibition of 15mm, 19mm and 22mm respectively for Salmonella typhi and 29mm, 32mm and 36mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while the chloroform extract produced similar concentration of 18mm, 20mm and 22mm for Salmonella typhi and 19mm, 20mm and 21mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of methanol extract against Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 12.5mg/ml and 3.12mg/ml respectively. The MIC of chloroform extract against Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 6.25mg/ml and 6.25mg/ml. For the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, no MIC was carried out because there was no zone of inhibition seen on the plate with 100% concentration. This justifies the therapeutic use of Chromolaena odorata. This research work establishes a good support to the use of these plants in herbal remedies and for the development of new drugs.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Human pathogens.Chromolaena ordorata, Methanol, Chloroform.