Identification and Charaterization of Fatty Acids, Phytohemical Properties and Antibacterial Effect of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Piliostigma Reticulatum

The ethyl acetate extract of Piliostigma reticulatum was investigated for its antibacterial activity, phytochemical contents and the fatty acid composition using known methods. The plant was active against three of the five test organisms Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes with zones of inhibition of 20mm, 16mm and 18mm respectively. Whereas Salmonella typhi and Pseudmonas aeruginosa were resistant to the plant extract. The comparative antibiotic test showed Salmonella typhi to be largely resistant to the five antibiotics used while other bacteria were sensitive to only one antibiotic ranging from mildly sensitive to sensitive according to the classification of the CLSI. The Multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARi) of the test bacteria showed high level of antibiotic resistance in the bacteria strains used. All bacteria had MARi of 5 except Pseudomonas aeruginosa which had MARi of 2.5.Phytochemicals in P. reticulatum include Alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, phenols, tanins and saponins. Nutritional elements include Na ,K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Pb and Cu. Fatty acids composition include decanoic acids, octdecanoic acids, hectadecanoic acids, 6- Octadecanoic, 1-(+)-Ascorbic acid (2.87%), 2, 6-dihexadecanoate ;Dipalmitate, Octadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxyl-1, 3, propanediylester, 15-Hydroxypentadecanoic acid, Hexadecanoic acid, 1-(hydroxymethyl)-1, 2-ethanediylester. Docosanoic anhydride, Hexadecanoic acid, 2- hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethylester, Hexadecanoic acid, 2, 3- dihydroxypropyl ester, Hexadecanoic acid, 1-(hydroxymetyl)-1, 2-ethanediyl ester and Pentadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl ester. The fatty acid profile of the plant could be responsible for the antibacterial activity of the plant. The result of this study underlines the chemotherapeutic potential of this plant.

Keywords: Fatty acid profile. Antibacterial, phytochemicals, Multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARi), Piliostigma reticulatum, Ethyl acetate, nutritional elements.