Abstract

Antimicrobial activities of Clutia abyssinic and Erythrina abyssinica plants extracts used among the Kipsigis community of Bomet district in Kenya

Author(s): K.Korir, C.Bii, C.Kiiyukia, C.Mutai

The use of plants for medicinal purposes is an important part of the culture and tradition inAfrica and the world at large. Up to 80% of the world population depends directly on the traditional medicine for the primarily health care. The objective of this study was to collect, extract and determine antimicrobial activities of Clutia abyssinic and Erythrina abyssinica plants. The two plant samples were collected from Bomet District. Taxonomical identification was done at East African Herbarium. Leaves and stem bark were air dried and separately grounded into fine powder. The powdered material was extracted with Hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and water. Extracts of the two plants were screened against bacterial and fungal isolates. The highest inhibition zone diameters recorded was 23.0 mm from hexane extract of E. abyssinica against Trichophyton mentagrophyte. The solvents used for extraction were used as negative control while fluconazoles and gentamycin were used as standards. The standards drugs inhibition zone diameter was between 16mm and 20mm whichwas comparablewellwith that of the plant extracts. The E. abyssinica hexane extract was the most active against Microsporum gypseum with minimum inhibitory concentration of 6.25mg/ml. The results were found to be significant at p value 0.005. The antifungal and antibacterial activity of the plants under investigation demonstrated support for the claimed antimicrobial uses of the plants in the traditional medicine and provides scientific prove for their medicinal values.