Evaluation of Phytochemical Contents and Antimicrobial Activities of Pandiaka heudelotii

The work investigated the secondary metabolites present in different parts of the Pandiaka heudelotii plant harvested from Ezira, Orumba south local government area of Anambra state, southeastern Nigeria as well as their antimicrobial activity. The objectives were to extract, determine the phytochemicals present, evaluate the antimicrobial potential and determine the zones of inhibition of the root, stem and leaf extracts of the plant. The emergence of antibiotics has decreased the spread and severity of a wide range of diseases. Plant extracts were tested for antibacterial and antifungal activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtelis, Pseudomonas aerogenes, Salmonella typhi, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. The zone of inhibition of extracts was compared with that of standard drugs like Erythromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Fulcin and Fluconazole. The result revealed the inhibition of bacterial and fungal growth with some test organisms. The microbial activity of the plant parts may be due to the presence of various secondary metabolites. The ethyl acetate extracts of Pandiaka heudelotii stood out with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of 5 - 10 mg/mL and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)/minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 10 - 20 mg/ml against some test organisms. The plant can thus be worked upon to discover biologically active natural products that may serve as a prelude to the development of new pharmaceutical research undertakings.