Phytochemical Screening and Anti-Bacterial Activity of Methanol and Hexane Extract of Syzygium Cumini Leaves

Hauwa M.S Haruna, Fatima Abdulkadir, Baba Gabi

Abstract: Phytochemical screening of syzygium cumini leaves was carried out and showed the presence of tannins, steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenes in both the methanol and hexane extract while saponins and glycosides were detected only in the methanol extract. The percentage yield of the methanol and hexane extract of S.cumini leaves were found to be 16.2% and 9.2% respectively. Invitro anti-bacterial activity of the methanol and hexane extract of S.cumini leaves were carried out using agar well diffusion method with clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and staphylococcus aureus. The methanol extract was observed to be more effective against both the E.coli and staphylococcus aureus with mean zones of inhibition of 21mm and 20mm at 200mg/ml respectively and 17mm at 200mg/ml for E.coli and S.aureus respectively in the hexane extract. This indicates that methanol extract is more potent than the hexane extract. Therefore the leaf extract of syzygium cumini can be used against enteric bacterial infections.

Keywords: syzygium cumini, staphylococcus aureus Escherichia coli, zone of inhibition, agar well diffusion method