Introduction: As the overuse of antibiotics increases, antimicrobial resistance is becoming a significant issue, making bacteria resistant to antibiotics and rendering illnesses more challenging to treat. The declining efficacy of synthetic antibiotics in curing infectious diseases is a global concern that is growing. Thus, studies for alternatives from natural plants are in high demand. Method: This study was done to assess the phytochemical compounds and antimicrobial activity of methanolic Muntingia calabura L. leaf methanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Shigella sonnei using the disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. Results: The methanolic extract of M. calabura L. leaves was the most successful when tested against S. aureus with a mean inhibition zone of 14.33 mm, followed by S. sonnei with 10.66 mm, while no inhibitory effect was noted on S. typhimurium. When tested for minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), readings of 7.81 mg/ml and 62.50 mg/ml were recorded for S. aureus and S. sonnei, respectively. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) test revealed that the methanolic extract of M. calabura L. leaves completely inhibited S. aureus and S. sonnei at 15.63 mg/ml and 250.00 mg/ml, respectively. The effectiveness of M. calabura L. leaves in inhibiting the tested organisms demonstrates the extract’s potency as a remedy. Conclusion: The findings of this study offer a foundation for the potential use of M. calabura L. leaves in developing pharmaceuticals for a variety of illnesses caused by the microorganisms studied.

Introduction: The persistent development of bacterial resistance against currently available antibacterial drugs necessitates the search for new antimicrobial agents. The major part of this research is to overcome drug resistance in infectious agents by utilizing medicinal plants as the main natural source in the production of new pharmaceuticals. As 25-50% of contemporary medications are derived from plants, this sparked renewed interest in therapeutic plants. Due to the largely diverse phytochemical compounds found in crude extracts of medicinal plants, they could be used as an alternative source of antimicrobial agents. This study aims to screen the phytochemical compounds and evaluate the antibacterial effect of Momordica charantia fruit extract, obtained by maceration in 100% absolute methanol. Method: Disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods were performed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of M. charantia fruit extract on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium. Results: The phytochemical tests conducted revealed that the fruit extracts tested positive for alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins. The methanolic extract of M. charantia fruit demonstrated antibacterial activity against S. aureus with a mean inhibition zone of (17mm±0.82), but not against E. coli or S. typhimurium. For S. aureus, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were 125mg/ml and 500mg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the findings, the current study offers insight into the therapeutic potential of M. charantia where the methanolic fruit extract of the fruit has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and has the potential to be exploited as an antimicrobial agent.

Introduction: Most diseases involving bacterial infections have caused high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. However, the misuse of synthetic antibiotics in treatments has not only caused adverse effects on patients but also led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The escalating issue of antimicrobial resistance has led to the urgent need for new antimicrobial agents originating from natural resources. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the antibacterial activity of ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts of Averrhoa bilimbi fruits against selected bacteria. Methods: The antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by disc diffusion method and microdilution broth method were respectively performed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the A. bilimbi extract against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Bacillus cereus (ATCC 14579), as well as gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 13311)). Results: Initial screening for ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts showed inhibition against all microbes with the most significant effects on B. cereus at 16 and 11.67±1.15 mm, respectively. With MIC value of 7.81 mg/ml, the lowest concentration of ethyl acetate extract was required by S. aureus and B. cereus to inhibit their growth. For aqueous extract, the lowest MIC value of 31.25 mg/ml was observed to inhibit E. coli. Moreover, A. bilimbi fruit extracts also contain alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, and reducing sugars responsible for antibacterial activities. Conclusion: Therefore, A. bilimbi fruit extract with its potential antibacterial properties can be used as an alternative therapy to combat infectious diseases initiated by the selected pathogens.