EFFECT OF Aframomum melegueta K. Schum SEED EXTRACTS ON ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIAL ISOLATES FROM SICK INFANTS’ STOOLS IN AKURE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The Occurrence of infant stool leading to infant mortality is a thing of concern in medicine. While some antibiotics used in the treatment of such are reportedly becoming ineffective, there may lie on the field, an array of plants which will be effective in its treatment. This work is aimed at identifying bacteria especially antibiotic resistant ones associated with diarrhoea in infants and the activity of Aframomum melegueta against them. Bacterial isolates from two hundred (200) stool samples of sick infants attending State Specialist Hospital, Adofure, Roadblock and Gaga health centers were identified. The bacteria were screened for antibiotic sensitivity using disc diffusion method. Extracts of A. melegueta seed was obtained using cold method extraction while methanolic and n-hexane Quantitative and Qualitative phytochemicals screening of the extracts was determined using standard methods. Antibacterial activity, Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bacterial Concentration (MBC) of the extracts, were carried out using agar well diffusion method. The extracts were purified using thin layer and column chromatography. The functional groups present in the bioactive component were assayed by Infrared (FTIR). Plasmid analysis was carried out on antibiotic resistant isolates using Alkaline Lysis Method. Bacterial isolates included Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescens, Shigella dysentariae and Staphylococccus aureus. At 9mg/ml, methanol extracts had 21.00±2.309 zone of inhibition against E. coli, 23.00±1.732 zone of inhibition against K. pneumoniae, and 22.00±1.155 zone of inhibition against S. aureus. At 9mg/ml N-hexane had highest activity of 18.00±1.732 zone of inhibition against E. coli. Phytochemical screening of A. melegueta seeds revealed presence of saponins, tannins, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, phenol and flavonoids. MIC and MBC of methanolic and n- hexane extracts on bacteria showed concentration of 50mg/ml - 100mg/ml and100mg/ml - 300mg/ml. The separated fractions after column chromatographic techniques were tested against the resistant bacteria and Infra-red spectroscopy analysis conducted on the most active fraction revealed the presence of hydroxyl (OH), carbonide (COOH) and aromatic functional group. Plasmid profiling of resistant bacteria revealed multiple plasmids (E. coli, S. dysentariae, P. aeruginosa), single plasmid (S. aureus, E. aerogenes) and S. typhi, K. pneumoniae with no plasmid. This research established that methanol has a better yield of bioactive components from the test plant part than n-hexane and can be used in the treatment of gastrointestinal infection. The presence of phytochemicals supports its uses as antibacterial agent with high level of saponins, tannins, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides and phenol