Antimicrobial Properties of the Hydroethanolic Extract of Bauhinia rufescens L. and Euphorbia hirta L., Two Plants of the Traditional Chadian Pharmacopoeia

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial properties of hydroethanol extracts of Bauhinia rufescens L. and Euphorbia hirta L. Methodology and results: The hydroethanol extracts of Bauhinia rufescens L. and Euphorbia hirta L.; two plants of the Chadian traditional pharmacopoeia used in the treatment of infantile diarrhoea and gastroenteritis in adults were submitted to in vitro tests in order to highlight their antibacterial and antifungal properties. The method of microdilution in liquid medium coupled with spreading on agar medium was used for the tests. The microbial strains used consisted of 13 hospital bacterial strains and 6 reference strains including a yeast strain of the Candida albicans ATCC 90028 species. The results obtained confirm the antimicrobial properties of Bauhinia rufescens L. and Euphorbia hirta L. because at 50 mg/ml, they inhibit 100% the growth of gram positive and Gram-negative bacilli tested. On the other hand, for Candida albicans ATCC 90028, it is only the extract of Euphorbia hirta that was active at 50 mg/ml. Conclusion: In view of these results, we can say that these plants have an antibacterial activity and that their use in traditional phytotherapy is justified.