ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT DERIVED FROM voacanga africana

The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic leaf extract of Voacanga africana was evaluated using standard methods. The phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity were also assessed using routine procedures. Dried and pulverized leaves of V. africana were extracted with ethanol.The result of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of some bioactive compounds; tannins, flavonoids, phenols anthraquinones, saponins, phlobatanins, cardiac glycosides and terpenoids. The crude leaf extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity at concentrations of 250mg/ml-500mg/ml with a growth inhibitory zone of 1-6 mm for Klebsiella sp, 3-11mm for Staphylococcus sp, 9-13mm for Escherichia coli and 11-14mm for Pseudomonas sp. For the fungal isolates, the extract elicited a zone of inhibition of 6-11mm for Penicillium sp, 11-20 for Aspergillus sp. and 6-10 for Fusarium sp. The ethanolic leaf extract of Voacanga africana showed significant antioxidant activity using the DPPH test. These findings suggested that the ethanolic leaf extract of V. africana has potent antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.