Antibacterial Properties of Traditional Medicinal Flora From The Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, the utilization of medicinal plants for the treatment of different illnesses has been common, although their
effectiveness and doses are not unknown. Aralia elata, Coffee arabica, Croton macrostachyus, and Ficus
sycomorus are some of the common cultural medicinal plants in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia. Leaves
of these plants were extracted using solvents such as methanol, chloroform, and petroleum ether. The inhibition effect of
the crud extracts was tested against pathogenic bacterial strains such as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25926,
Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Shigella boydii ATCC 12022, Salmonella typhi ATCC 10535 and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 248 using disc diffusion method. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration
(MIC) of the crud extracts was determined by the microplate dilution method. The highest biological yield was 2.32%
from the chloroform extract of Ficus sycomorus. The maximum inhibition zone for petroleum ether extracts was 15
mm against E. coli from Ficus sycomorus at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. 18 mm in diameter of Staphylococcus
aurous growth was inhibited at 100 mg/ml of chloroform extract of Croton macrostachyus. Methanol extract from the
plants inhibited the growth of the five pathogens with an inhibition range of 12 mm to 21 mm in diameter. The lowest
inhibitory concentration was 12.5 mg/mL by the methanol and chloroform extract of the plant’s leaves against the
pathogens. In general, the methanolic-based crude extract of the plants was the most effective and efficient in ranges of
inhibition.