Phytochemical Analyses and Antibacterial Activities of Jatropha tanjorensis J. L. Ellis and Saroja Leaves Extract against Clinical Pathogens

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical and antimicrobial characteristics of leaf extracts from Jatropha tanjorensis plant against some selected clinical pathogens.
Study Design: Experimental Study design (Quantitative).

Place and Duration of Study: Sample: The bacteria were obtained from the stock culture of the Microbiology laboratory at LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos State and Department of Biological Sciences, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State.

Methods: Fresh Jatropha tanjorensis leaves were obtained, identified, and then finely ground after being dried at room temperature. To obtain the extracts, two hundred grams (200g) of the leaves were macerated in one thousand milliliters (1000ml) of solvent. Phytochemical analyses were done on the extract utilizing suitable standard protocols. Using the agar well diffusion method, the leaf extracts' antibiotic sensitivity was assessed against selected bacteria, including Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Enterococcus faecalis FELAO97, Escherichia coli, Bacillus aureus ATCC 25923, and Bacillus aureus ATCC 25923.

Results: The qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed that while phlobatannins were absent from all extracts, other compounds found included saponin, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, reducing sugars, terpenoids, steroids, and tannins. According to the quantitative phytochemical analysis, reducing sugars from methanolic extract had the lowest concentration (20.39 mg/100g) and flavonoids from hot water extract had the highest concentration (98.55 mg/100g). With a zone of inhibition of 19.83 mm against S. aureus, the cold-water extract exhibited the highest inhibitory effect, while the methanolic extract displayed the lowest zone of inhibition, 13.17 mm, against B. subtilis. When compared to other isolates, B. subtilis had the lowest MIC value of 10.24 mg/ml and other isolates had the highest MIC value of 20.48 mg/ml. A GC-MS analysis identified fifty-seven (57) bioactive compounds with 1, 2, 3-Benzenetriol having the highest percentage of 66.38%.

Conclusion: This study suggests that Jatropha tanjorensis may be a potential antibacterial drug, but more thorough study and collaboration are still necessary.