Phytochemical, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant constituents of the stem barks of trichilia monadelpha (thronn) j.j. de wilde and trichilia tessmannii (harms) both of the family meliaceae
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Date
2015-03-24
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Abstract
In this present work,  the stem barks  of  two medicinal plants,  Trichilia tessmannii  (Harms) 
and  Trichilia monadelpha  (Thonn)  JJ De Wilde  both of the family Meliaceae  were  screened 
for their  phytochemical constituents  and  evaluated for their antimicrobial  and antioxidant
activities  with the sole objective of isolating the active principles present.  The phytochemical 
investigation revealed the presence of plant secondary metabolites such as; Tannins, 
Reducing sugars, Anthraquinones, Alkaloids, Saponins glycosides, Cardiac glycosides, 
Terpinoids, Cumarins and Phytosterol. 
The antimicrobial activity was determined by broth dilution method using standardized 
bacteria suspensions of  Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis,  Escherichia coli, 
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungus, Candida albicans. 
Broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity was observed  for  all extracts except the petroleum 
ether extract of  T. tessmannii.  A  minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.625 mg/mL 
was determined as the highest activity  for  the ethyl acetate extract of  T. tessmannii  against 
Pseudomonas aeruginosa  and  Candida albicans.  Lowest  MIC of >10 mg/mL  was  however 
recorded by the petroleum ether extract of T. tessmannii against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia 
coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 
Antioxidant activity was determined by the use of DPPH free radical scavenging assay, Total 
phenol content assay and Total antioxidant capacity assay on the total crude methanol extract 
of the stem bark. The total crude methanol extract was found to possess DPPH free   radical 
scavenging activity of  EC50
values 0.0207 mg/mL and 0.0099 mg/mL  for the extracts of  T. 
tessmannii  and  T. monadelpha  respectively and 0.004806 mg/mL  for the ascorbic acid used 
as the reference drug.  The values obtained from the estimation of the Total antioxidant 
capacity assay were 444.7 ± 28.58 mg/g of ascorbic acid and 324.40 ± 20.41mg/g of ascorbic 
acid for  T. tessmannii  and  T. monadelpha  respectively,  and  the Total phenol content values 
v
for  T. tessmannii  and  T. monadelpha  were  970.2 ± 78.69 mg/g of tannic acid  and 884.2 ± 
61.00 mg/g of tannic acid  respectively.  These findings provide scientific justification for the 
use of the stem barks  of  T. tessmannii  and  T. monadelpha, in various traditional medicines, 
for the treatment  and management of  diseases associated with oxidative stress  and infectious 
conditions. The chromatographic separation of extracts done so far was by open column silica 
gel chromatography using the gradient elution method.  Chromatographic separation of the 
ethyl acetate extract of the stem back of  T.  Monadelpha  (TME) has yielded an isolate ‗A
1
‘, 
which is yet to be further purified and characterized.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the 
degree of Master of Philosophy
in
Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 2014