Phytochemical and in vitro anti-typhoid properties of leaf, stem and root extracts of Ficus capensis (Moraceae)

Abstract

Ficus capensis plant and its parts have diverse trado-medicinal application in Nigeria folklore. This study was designed to investigate the in vitro phytochemical and anti-typhoid potential of the root, stem and leaves of the plant as an attempt to proffer solution to the challenges faced by modern medicine especially in the complete cure of microbial-associated diseases as a result of their abrupt and unpredictable genetic mutations. The powdered leaf, stem and root of the plant were extracted with various solvents viz., n-hexane, chloroform, methanol and water by serial exhaustive extraction with each extract challenged with Salmonella typhi a common typhoid disease-causing organism. The leaf extract contains the highest concentration of all the phytochemical studied except for tannin, which was found to be highest in the stem bark. While the root, stem and leaf extracts of F. capensis inhibited the growth of S. Typhi in a concentration dependent manner comparable to that of the standard drugs, the reconstitution solvent showed no antibacterial activity. The results show that leaf, stem bark and root extracts of F. capensis confer anti-typhoid activity against Salmonella Typhi.Keywords: Ficus capensis; Phytochemical; Salmonella typhi