Evaluation of the phytochemicals and antimicrobial properties of Tetrapleura Tetraptera and Piper Nigrum

Abstract

The search for new substances with antibacterial activities has become an urgent necessity due to the resistance of many bacteria of medical importance to antibiotics. In an attempt to seek out new antibacterial agents from plants, E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp susceptibility to the seed extracts of Tetrapleura tetraptera and Piper nigrum were assessed. A Qualitative phytochemical screening was also done to establish the various phytochemicals found in the plants. To achieve these findings, the dried seeds of Tetrapleura tetraptera and Piper nigrum were collected in the Bamenda food market and ground. Further, the powder obtained was subjected to aqueous and alcoholic extractions separately in which the alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Tetrapleura teraptera and Piper nigrum seeds were evaluated for their antibacterial potential against E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp using agar diffusion. The obtained results indicated that S. aureus and E. coli were susceptible to the alcoholic and aqueous extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera (with a MIC of 50mg/ml; 100mg/ml) respectively, for S.aureus and (25mg/ml; 50mg/ml) for E.coli.  For S. aureus, susceptibility to aqueous extract of Piper nigrum shows sensitivity (with MIC of 100mg/ml). Complete resistance was registered with the alcoholic extracts of Piper nigrum. Furthermore, the phytochemical screening results indicated the presence of resins, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids (present in all powder), and saponins (absent only in Piper nigrum). In conclusion, the alcoholic and aqueous extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera seeds has antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli. It was proposed that further studies should be carried out on the susceptibility of Tetrapleura tetraptera to other bacteria.