In vitro anti-tubercular activity of Syzygium aromaticum extract against Mycobacteria species.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading infectious diseases in the world and its control is being complicated by the increasing emergence multidrug resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains. Therefore, the urgent need to develop new anti- TB drugs from medicinal plants cannot be overemphasized. In this study, the in-vitro anti-tubercular activity of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) extract was investigated against Mycobacterium bovis (BCG), M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis H37RV using micro-broth dilution method. The activity was compared with rifampicin (0.04 μg/ml). The phytochemical composition of the extract was determined using the method of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). The ethylacetate extract contained alkaloids (47.79 mg/100g), saponins (103.70 mg/100g), flavonoids (6.84 mg/100g), tannins (98.35 mg/100g) and phenols (252.55 mg/100g) respectively. The extract at 50% v/v concentration inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium bovis, M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis with minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.2% v/v, 0.1% v/v and 0.2% v/v, respectively. The results of the study showed that extract of S. aromaticum may have therapeutic value in the treatment of TB and support the local use of the plant in the treatment of tuberculosis.