Abstract:
Context: Herbalists use Cassytha filiformis Linn and Cleistopholis patens (Benth) for the treatment of urogenital infections.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the interactions of extracts from Cassytha filiformis and Cleistopholis patens leaves against Staphylococcus aureus
Method: Both plants’ parts were colleccted ,shade-dried, pulverized and extracted with sterile distilled water and methanol. Extraction with water was done by 48 h maceraion while methanol was done in a Soxhlet apparatus. The extracts were concentrated and dried separately under vacuum. Gentamicin (Gentalek R) was used as a reference standard antibiotic. Preliminary antimicrobial screening of these antibacterials was carried out using agar-well diffusion techniques. Checkerboard method was used to study the combined effects of these extracts.
Results: The preliminary sensitivity test showed that the water extract of Cleistopholis patens was inactive against the strains of Stapylococcus aureus tested whereas the Cassytha filiformis extracts were active against the organisms. The respective mean MIC values of the methanol extracts from Cassytha filiformis and Cleistopholis patens against Staph. aureus were 15.21 ± 0.68 and 24.62 ± 1.56 mg/ml while the water extract from Cassytha filiformis was 11.38 ± 0.99 mg/ml. The interaction studies showed that the combined effects of the extracts were predominantly indifference and antagonisms against Stapylococcus aureus.
Conclusion: The extracts from these two plants should not be combined, however, can be used singly for the treatment of infections caused by Staph. aureus.
