Comparative Study of the Antibacterial Activity of Leaves of Croton Macrostachyus and Aloe Vera

Abstract

The antibacterial activity of the dichlomethane/methanol (1:1) leaf extracts of Croton macrostachyus and Aloe vera were compared. Antibacterial effects of crude extracts were performed using modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion and agar dilution techniques to determine the zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), respectively. The extracts were tested for the antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeraginosa, Escherichia coli and Salmonella S1-S2). The results demonstrate that dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) leaf crude extract of A. vera has shown strong zone of inhibition against S. aureus (23±0.29mm) and Salmonella (20±1.26mm) compared to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (20±0.29mm and 19±0.5mm, respectively). Leaf dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) extracts of C. macrostachyus sowed strong zone of inhibition against Salmonella (21±0.29mm) compared to Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (20±1.26mm) and Trimethoprim (13±0.00mm). The dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) extracts of A. vera compared with C. macrostachyus demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus and Salmonella S1-S2. These medicinal plants could be developed into affordable and safe standardized herbal products and may serve as a source of new molecules for broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, Aloe vera, Croton macrostachyus, dichlomethane: methanol extract, Minimum inhibitory concentrations, Zone of inhibition