Citrus limon is traditionally use for the treatment of several ailments including infectious diseases. This study was designed to evaluate antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of Citrus limon stem bark extract. The plant material was collected, authenticated, air-dried and pulverized. Two hundred grams of powdered plant material was extracted into distilled methanol by cold maceration and the extract was concentration in a vacuo. The extract was subjected to in vitro phytochemical screening and bioassays including; antiproliferative assay (Sorghum bicolor radicle and Allium cepa root growth inhibitory assays) and antimicrobial susceptibility against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Citrobacter ferundii and Candida albicans. Phytochemical evaluation detected the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and cardiac glycoside in the extract. The extract displayed concentration-dependent antiproliferative activity with an IC50 of 1.10±0.07 and 0.62±0.04 mg/mL compared to cyclophosphamide (IC50 of 0.17±0.02 and 0.83±0.08 mg/mL) for Sorghum bicolor radical growth and Allium cepa root growth inhibitory assays, respectively. The extract displayed antimicrobial activity with the highest activity against Escherichia coli and Citrobacter ferundii with activity indices of 0.68 and 0.59, respectively compared to gentamicin. Citrus limon stem bark extract displayed antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities.

Cancer and infectious diseases combined are leading cause of death and public health concern. In developing countries, about 80% of the populace depends on medicinal plants for their general health care needs including treatment of infectious diseases and cancer. Aloe schweinfurthii (Aloaceae) is a small medicinal herb that is commonly used for the treatment of cancerous and infectious diseases in South-West Nigeria. The focus of this study was to evaluate the growth inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of the herb. The rind of the herb was collected, air dried, pulverized and extracted into distilled methanol by cold maceration. The dried extract obtained was subjected to growth inhibitory and antimicrobial assays. The extract displayed concentration dependent growth inhibitory activity with IC50 of 484.7±2.16 and 1188±2.32µg/mL compared to cyclophosphamide with IC50 of 174.3±0.19 and 834.5±0.84 µg/mL in Sorghum bicolor radical and Allium cepa root growth inhibitory assays, respectively. The extract displayed concentration dependent antibacterial and antifungal effects with the highest activity against C. freundi (18 mm zone of inhibition) at 50 mg/mL. The extract of Aloe  schweinfurthii leaf rind displayed marked growth inhibitory and antimicrobial bioactivities. The extract maybe considered as a viable candidate for discovery of chemotherapeutic agent (s). Keywords: Growth inhibition, Antimicrobial, Aloe schweinfurthii, Chemotherapeutic Agent