Abstract

To Assessment of phytochemicals and antibacterial activity of different solvent extracts of the leaf of Sterculia setigera were carried out using standard methods. Fifty grams of the dried leaf was used for each solvent extraction and 7.40 g (14.8%), 5.50 g (11.0%), 4.10 g (8.2%) of ethanol, methanol and aqueous extract was obtained respectively. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, flavanoids, saponins and tannins. Using the Agar well diffusion method, the different extract showed visible inhibitory effect when compared to the positive control. The methanol extract was observed to be most potent on the test organisms having the highest mean zone of inhibition at concentration of 500 mg/ml 20.5 mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 7.0 mm at 62.5 mg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus while the ethanolic extract showed the least potency on S. aureus with mean zone of inhibition at 500 mg/ml concentration to be 8.5 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the ethanol extract on S. aureus was 500 mg/ml while aqueous and methanolic extracts showed MIC at 125 mg/ml for both E.coli and S. aureus respectively. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) observed to be 250 mg/ml on S. aureus and E. coli for both methanolic and aqueous extracts. These results suggest that Sterculia setigera used in this study has potential that could be harnessed for the production of drugs against bacterial infections.