Antimicrobial Potential of the Yellow Plum (Ximenia americana): A Qualitative Evaluation of Ethyl Acetate Extracts from the Various Plants’ Parts

Authors

  • Solomon Bitrus
    Kaduna State University
  • Mansurat O. Shoge
    Air force Institute of Technology, Kaduna
  • Boniface O. Agbo
    Kaduna State University
  • Simon Moses
    Kaduna State University
  • Genesis Moses Shehu
    Kaduna State University

Keywords:

Extracts, Harness, Inhibition, Potential, Susceptibility, Bioactive

Abstract

Medicinal plants have long been traditionally used as remedies for various ailments which include antimicrobials. Ximenia americana which belongs to the Olacaceae family is one of the plants used in traditional medicine in Africa. This study was targeted at assessing qualitatively, the antimicrobial potential of the ethyl acetate extracts from the roots, stem bark and leaves of the plant at different concentrations on selected environmental and clinical samples of bacterial and fungal pathogens using standard susceptibility test procedures. Extracts from the roots, stem bark and leaves of the plant revealed the presence of some phytochemicals ranging from glycosides (saponins and flavonoids), polyphenolics (tannins and steroids) to alkaloids. Alkaloids, flavonoids and steroids were found to be present in the same intensity in all parts while the leaves contained alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids steroids and steroids at varying intensities. The highest susceptibility was recorded from the leaf extracts where three of the test bacterial pathogens (Salmonella sp, Shigella sp and Staphylococcus aureus) showed varying degrees of susceptibilities at 20mg/ml, 25mg/ml, 30mg/ml, 35mg/ml and 40mg/ml. Furthermore, Staphylococcus aureus within this category exhibited the highest zone of inhibition (ZI) of  12mm indicating an increase in the disc size of 8mm conforming with Gentamycin (10µg) and Erythromycin (10µg) used as controls from commercially available antibiotic multi disks with ZIs of S (12mm). This study further reveals that the root extracts of the plant had no inhibitory effects on Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans at concentrations of 20mg/ml. 25mg/ml, 30mg/ml, 35mg/ml and 40mg/m. This finding potentially reveals the suitability of X. americana plant to be harnessed for its antibacterial potential through a further quantitative, safe and efficient evaluation of the specific bioactive components of the plant parts responsible for each antimicrobial activity as indicated in this study.

Author Biographies

Solomon Bitrus

Chief Academic Technologist, Department of Biological sciences, Faculty of Life sciences, College of Computing, Engineering & Sciences, Kaduna State University (KASU) PMB 2339 Tafawa Balewa way, Kaduna Northwest, Nigeria

Mansurat O. Shoge

Head, Department of Chemistry, Air force Institute of Technology, Kaduna Northwest Nigeria

Boniface O. Agbo

Lecturer, Department of Biological sciences, Faculty of Life sciences, College of Computing, Engineering & Sciences, Kaduna State University (KASU) PMB 2339 Tafawa Balewa way, Kaduna Northwest, Nigeria

Simon Moses

Lecturer, Department of Biological sciences, Faculty of Life sciences, College of Computing, Engineering & Sciences, Kaduna State University (KASU) PMB 2339 Tafawa Balewa way, Kaduna Northwest, Nigeria

Genesis Moses Shehu

Lecturer, Department of Biological sciences, Faculty of Life sciences, College of Computing, Engineering & Sciences, Kaduna State University (KASU) PMB 2339 Tafawa Balewa way, Kaduna Northwest, Nigeria

Dimensions

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The Overall susceptibility points on the selected microbial pathogens by the Ethyl acetate extracts from the different parts of X. americana

Published

2025-11-30

How to Cite

Bitrus, S., Shoge, M. O., Agbo, B. O., Moses, S., & Shehu, G. M. (2025). Antimicrobial Potential of the Yellow Plum (Ximenia americana): A Qualitative Evaluation of Ethyl Acetate Extracts from the Various Plants’ Parts. Journal of Science Research and Reviews, 2(5), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.70882/josrar.2025.v2i5.110

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 5 (2025): JOSRAR Vol. 2 No. 5 (September - October)

Section

Articles
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How to Cite

Bitrus, S., Shoge, M. O., Agbo, B. O., Moses, S., & Shehu, G. M. (2025). Antimicrobial Potential of the Yellow Plum (Ximenia americana): A Qualitative Evaluation of Ethyl Acetate Extracts from the Various Plants’ Parts. Journal of Science Research and Reviews, 2(5), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.70882/josrar.2025.v2i5.110