PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF PARKIA BIGLOBOSA AND PARKIA BICOLOR LEAF EXTRACTS

Abstract

The comparative studies of different extracts of the leaves of Parkia biglobosa 
(Jacq) Benth and Parkia bicolor A. Chev (Mimosaceae) with respect to their 
photochemical and antimicrobial properties was carried out. Preliminary 
phytochemical screening showed that both plants had similar constituents namely 
cardiac glycosides, steroids, tannins and alkaloids. The thin layer chromatography 
of the hexane and ethanol extracts of both plants were also investigated and two of 
the components of the ethanol extracts of both plants were found to display similar 
properties. The antimicrobial screening of the hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and 
water extracts of both plant leaves were done using standard strains of 
Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Esherichia coli, Pseudomonas 
aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger and Candida utilis. The ethyl acetate, ethanol and 
water extracts exhibited a concentration dependent antibacterial, inhibiting the 
growth of the gram-positive bacteria used in the study. Extracts of P. bicolor were 
slightly more active than those of P. biglobosa