Preliminary Phytochemical Analysis and In Vitro Investigation of Antibacterial Activity of Acacia Nilotica Against Clinical Isolates.

Acacia nilotica commonly has been used in folk medicine to treat different diseases. In the present study, preliminary phytochemical analysis of ethanol and petroleum ether extract of stem bark of Acacia nilotica was carried out by using simple chemical tests. It revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides and anthraquinone in both ethanol and petroleum ether extracts while fixed oils and fats, proteins and amino acids were absent. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts against clinical isolates was performed by agar diffusion method. It exhibited potent activity against all clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration for ethanol extract was 5 mg/ml while 10 mg/ml for petroleum ether extract. These results may be helpful for rationale use of this plant in the modern system of health care.