Abstract:
The bacteria isolated from urine samples collected from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii and Serratia mercescens) were subjected to antibiotics sensitivity tests using disc diffusion method. The resistant bacterial isolates were subjected to the inhibitory activities of methanol and chloroform stem extracts of Musa paradisiaca (Plantain stem) using agar well diffusion technique. At varied concentrations from 25 mg/ml to 300 mg/ml zones of inhibition were observed and recorded in millimeters. The methanol stem extract of M. paradisiaca at 100 mg/ml recorded the highest activity against E coli (10.00±0.00mm) followed by S. saprophyticus (8.67±0.33mm), C. freundii (8.67±0.33mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.00±0.00mm) while the chloroform extract had highest activity at 200 mg/ml against S. saprophyticus (7.33±0.33mm) followed by E coli (5.00±0.00mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.33±0.33mm) and C. freundii (3.33±0.33mm). Phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, flavonoids, phenols and cardiac glycosides. Thirteen fractions were obtained from the column chromatographic assay of the plant extract. Fraction 7 (F7) of methanol extract had the highest inhibition zone with 7.33±0.33 mm against E coli while fraction (F8) of chloroform had highest inhibition zone of 5.33±0.33 mm against S. saprophyticus. The active fractions were subjected to Infra-Red spectroscopy to identify the functional groups in the bioactive components. Results showed the presence of hydroxyl group, aldehyde and aliphatic ether group in the methanol fraction of the extract while chloroform fraction showed aliphatic ether and an alkyl halide group at the finger print region. The results of plasmid profiling and curing revealed that the resistance exhibited by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were plasmid mediated while the resistance exhibited by Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were chromosomal based.
