Compounds of pharmacological interest (tannins) were isolated from Dichrostachys cinerea and assayed against Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella boydii, Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar diffusion method. Tannins exhibited antibacterial activities against all the test microorganisms. Sh. flexneri was the most resistant to tannins isolated from the plant material followed by Sh. boydii, E. coli, Staph. aureus and P. aeruginosa respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration of the tannins ranged between 4.0 and 5.5 mg/ml while the minimum bactericidal concentration ranged between 4.5 and 6.0 mg/ml.

Three medicinal plants -Abutilon mauritianum, Bacopa monnifera and Datura stramonium were assessed for phytochemical components and antimicrobial activity. The results revealed that all the three plant extracts contained saponins, tannins and alkaloids. Only Datura stramonium contained glycosides. The plants exert varying inhibitory effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the plant extracts ranged between 10% (w/v) (Bacopa monnifera) and 25% (w/v) (A. mauritianum and D. stramonium). Extracts of Abutilon mauritianum, Bacopa monnifera and Datura stramonium could be potential sources of chemotherapeutic agents.

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