Preliminary phytochemical and antimicrobial studies of the leaves of Varissa edulis VAHL

Abstract

The plant

Carissa edulis is used in traditional medicinal practice in the treatment of chest, venereal infections and other ailments. The studies were carried out to confirm these claims. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the leaves revealed the presence of carhohydrates, tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, cyanogenic glycosides, saponins, terpenes and steroids. Anthraquinones, balsams, resins and alkaloids were absent. The antimicrobial studies of the water and methanolic extracts were carried out on standard organisms, Staphylococcus aureus, (ATCC13709), Streptococcus pyogenes, (NCTC 8198), Escherichia coli, (NCTC 10418), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, (NCTC 6570), Candida albicans (NCTC 3151A) and clinical isolates (P. aeruginosa. P. putrefaciens), using cup-plate method on solid media. 10, 15 and 25% w/v of the extract used showed inhibitory activity on the organisms tested. Zone of inhibition ranged between 11.0-22.5mm. Therefore, this result confirms the use of the leaves in traditional medicinal treatment of venereal and chest infections. The presence of tannins or saponins might be responsible for these activities.