Antimicrobial effects of aqueous extract of mixture from Aframomum melegueta (K Schum) – Citrus aurantifolia (Christm and Panzer) and Sterculia setigera (Delile) on five respiratory pathogenic germs.

Abstract

More and more people resort to Traditional Medicine recipe to treat cough, symptomatic of respiratory tract infections in Benin. Thus, improving Traditional Pharmacopoeia in order to value it becomes a necessity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of aqueous extracts of mixture from Aframomum melegueta - Citrus aurantifolia and Sterculia setigera on five pathogen germs of respiratory tract or coughing. A phytochemical study followed with calculating the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC), the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and the antibiotic power of these extracts has enabled us to reach this aim. The phytochemical study revealed potentially active groups of chemical substances: alkaloids, tannin and essential oils. The presence of these groups in the plants show their biological activities. Micrococcus luteus is the most sensitive germ on the aqueous extract of the mixture Aframomum melegueta - Citrus aurantifolia, and Escherichia coli the most resistant microorganism. The mixture Aframomum melegueta - Citrus aurantifolia is the most active extract on all strains of bacteria studied.