Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research

Traditional medicine practitioners TMPs have developed means of treating skin and soft tissue infections by using plant extract. In this study, four medicinal plants which are used for treating skin diseases were analysed, to determine their phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activity. Extraction and phytochemical screening was done using standard analytical procedures. The antimicrobial assay was carried out using agar well diffusion method. Methanol extract of Mitrarcapus villosus, Psidium guajava, Senna spectabilis and Anogeisus leocarpus contained tannins, phenols, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, stereoids and terpenoids. However, anthraquinones was present in only Psidium guajava. Phlobatanins was absent in only Senna spectabilis. alkaloids was absent in only Mitrarcapus villosus. All the plant extracts demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Candida albican, Salmonella typhii, Bacillus subtillis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli. Although Senna spectabilis extract shows no antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The extracts of Mitrarcapus villosus showed the highest activity against Candida albican (26.00 mm), Salmonella typhii (32.00 mm) and E. coli (15.00 mm) while Anogeisus leocarpus showed the highest activity against Staphylococcus aureus (18.00 mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.00 mm). Extracts of Psidium guajava was also found to have the highest activity against B. subtilis (37.00 mm). In conclusion, the antimicrobial activity of Psidium guajava and Mitrarcapus villosus was comparable to standard drugs. All the plant contained important phytochemicals of therapeutic significance and also possessed antimicrobial activity.