SCIENCE LABOURATORY

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IN-VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF UDARA LEAF

Format: MS WORD |  Chapter: 1-5 |  Pages: 65-80

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IN-VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF UDARA LEAF

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

The search for healing power from plants in as old as man people in all continents of the world have long applied poultices and imbibed infusions of hundreds (if not thousands) of indigenous plants dating back to prehistorically period (Duke and Wain 1981: Nostro et al, 2000). Till date, natural plant of various hyper are used in traditional African medicine for providing healing to various ailments even before and after the spread of modern and scientific basis the practice of Africa traditional medicine. Hence some active components of medicinal plants often used which producer certain antimicrobial properties have been identified among there plants in chrysopyllum albidum G.

1.1    ORIGIN OF CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM

Though the exact area of origin in unknown, the while star apple in believed native to tropical America, per harps in southern Mexico and neighboring Central America. Chrysophyllum albidum in commonly called Udara or white star apple and it is native to tropical countries. The negative part of white star apple plant have enormous medicinal using in various parts of Africa. The cotyledons in form the seed of C albidum are use in the treatment. Of vaginal and dermatological infections in Western Nigeria. The fruit pulp in rich in vitamin C and iron and an excellent source of raw material for industries (Adisa, 2000, Akubugwo 2007).

Tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, proteins, carbohydater and resins are the phytochemicals that have been reported in C albidum (Akeneme 2008). Bioassay guided fractionation of the seeds of C albidum led to the isolotaion of eleagnine was found to be the main compound responsible for its antimicrobial activity (Idown et al, 2003) Because of these, information on the safety potential of this plant in lacking, thus. There will be need to evaluate the toxicity potential of this popularly used medicinal plant. The study therefore in aimed at providing information on the effects of the ethanolic leaf extract on biochemical and haematological parameters in albino wistar rats.