Alchornea Cordifolia (Christmas Bush) Leaves Extract Shows Activity Against Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella Pneumoniae That Cause Multi-Drug Resistant Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract

Klebsiella pneumoniae are one of the most common cause of multi-drug resistant urinary tract infections such as cystitis and pyelonephritis. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases are plasmid-mediated enzymes commonly found in the Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Gram negative bacteria. They are capable of hydrolysing beta-lactams except carbapenems and cephamycins. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases also confer resistance to several nonbeta-lactam antibiotics, limiting treatment options for urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum betalactamases -producing K. pneumoniae. This study determined the in vitro efficacy of Alchornea cordifolia on extended-spectrum beta-lactamases -producing K. pneumoniae. Serial dilutions of the ethanolic extract of the leaves were prepared and tested against the extended-spectrum-beta-lactamases-producing K. pneumoniae. The phytochemical screening was performed to determine the antibacterial compounds. The Christmas bush leaves extracts concentrations ranging from 50 mg/ml -200 mg/ml showed significant active diameter zone of inhibition. The ethanolic extract of A. cordifolia leaves had minimum inhibition concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of 3.13 mg/ml indicating significant antibiotic activity against the ESBL isolates. The phytochemical screening of the Christmas bush leaves showed the presence of antimicrobial phytochemicals such as flavonoids. Ethanolic extracts of Christmas bush leaves is proving to be efficacious against multi-drug resistant urinary tract infections. This offers hope for the development of effective antibiotics due to the presence of flavonoids in the A. cordifolia leaf extracts. Therefore, there is the need to determine the toxicological effect and clinical trials of the active antimicrobial compounds isolated in the leaf extracts of A. cordifolia shrub.