Lindiwe Mpala1, Getmore Chikowe1, Ian Edwin Cock1,2*
1School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.
2Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.
Pharmacognosy Communications,2020,10,3,113-113.
DOI:10.5530/pc.2020.3.23
Published: July 2020
Type: Original Article
ABSTRACT
Introduction: High antioxidant levels have been linked with multiple therapeutic properties, including antibacterial activity. Therefore, high antioxidant plant preparations are good targets for antibacterial testing. D. pruriens has high antioxidant capacity although it is yet to be tested for the ability to inhibit the growth of bacterial pathogens. Methods: The ability of D. pruriens fruit and leaf extracts to inhibit the growth of a panel of bacterial and fungal pathogens was investigated by disc diffusion assay. Toxicity was examined using the Artemia franciscana nauplii bioassay. Results: All D. pruriens fruit and leaf extracts were completely ineffective at inhibiting the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative panels of bacteria, as well as fungi. The extracts were non-toxic in the Artemia bioassay following 24 h exposure. Conclusion: Despite their high antioxidant capacity, D. pruriens fruit and leaf extracts were completely ineffective bacterial and fungal growth inhibitors. However, these extracts may have other therapeutic properties and testing against protozoa, virus and tumour cells is required.
Key words: Antibacterial activity, Australian plant, Cunoniaceae, Davidson’s plum, Medicinal plants, Toxicity, Traditional medicine.