Bio-prospective Screening of Antibacterial and Phytochemical Activity of Caesalpinia pulcherrima.Linn (Pride of Barbados) on Selected Clinical Isolates

This work was carried out to evaluate the antibacterial and Phytochemical activities of Caesalpiniapulcherrima  leaf and stem bark on some clinical isolates. The plant parts were collected from St. Benedict Catholic Church premises, Owena Barracks, Akure, Ondo State. Crude ethyl acetate extracts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima leaves and stem bark was assayed for its antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi. using agar well diffusion method. Ofloxacin was used as standard control. The ethyl acetate extract of Caesalpiniapulcherrima leaves inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonellatyphi with 12mm, 10mm and 12mm zone of inhibition at 100mg/ml concentration and 4mm, 4mm and 6mm zone of inhibition at 12.5mg/ml concentration respectively but ineffective against Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It also inhibits the growth of Bacillus substilis with 7mm zone of inhibition at 100mg/ ml  concentrati on and 3.0mm zone of inhibition at 25mg/ml concentration.  The ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark inhibited the growth of Escherichiacoli, with 12mm and 4mm zone of inhibition at 100mg/ml and 25mg/ml concentration and Staphylococcus and Salmonella typhi with 10mm and 15mm inhibition zones at 100mg/ml concentration and 4mm and 4mm zone of inhibition at 12.5mg/ml respectively, but were ineffective  against other isolates. Both qualitative and quantitative phytochemical evaluations were also carried out on both the leaves and stem bark of Caesalpinia pulcherrima and results revealed the presence of several phytoconstituents such as  alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, steroids, anthraquinones, phenols, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and reducing sugar with the  bark possessing more of the phytochemicals. It has been reported in the literature that these species exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antiulcer, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antirheumatic activities that have proven to be efficacious in ethno-medicinal practices. This work is aimed at; investigating  the antibacterial and phytochemical activity of Caesalpinia pulcherrima against selected bacteria species.