Antibacterial and Toxicological Effects of Stem Extracts of Euphorbia heterophylla on some Enteric Bacteria

Abstract

Enteric pathogenic organisms overtime, have been a menace to the general public, causing numerous morbidities and mortalities. However, in recent times, they have progressively developed resistance to existing antibiotics. A study was carried out to determine the antibacterial activity of Euphorbia heterophylla crude extracts on four enteric organisms namely: Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris. The clinical isolates of these organisms were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test using agar diffusion technique. Two thousand milligram per kilogram body weight of the crude extracts was also administered to the mice orally and each group administered with methanolic crude extract of the stem, experienced a single death. Methanolic and aqueous crude extracts of Euphorbia heterophylla produced clear zones of inhibition at concentrations ranging from 100 to 200 mg/ml at 24 hours of incubation with the test organisms. However, the efficacy and antibacterial activity of the extracts, decreased at 48 and 72 hours of incubation with the enteric organisms respectively. From the result of this study, it may be concluded that Euphorbia heterophylla crude extract has some potential therapeutic properties for the treatment of diseases associated with enteric organisms such as Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, E. coli and Proteus vulgaris, if adequate doses are administered at the appropriate time.