Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activities of Ajuga integrifolia Leaves Extract

Abstract

The plants of the Ajuga integrifolia are evergreen, clump-forming rhizomatous annual or perennial herbaceous flowering species in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with most plants native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Its common name in Afan Oromo is “Harma Guusaa”. In Ethiopia, traditionally the leaves part of Ajuga integrifolia leave decoction was used to treat diseases as antibacterial agent. For instance, people get dried and powdered leaves of Ajuga integrifolia of this plant which was drunk with coffee to treat diseases such as headache, diabetes and hypertension. Accordingly, the leaves parts of the plant 350g were extracted with solvents: petroleum ether, chloroform: methanol and methanol to obtain the crude extracts by using maceration method. The petroleum ether, chloroform: methanol and methanol crude extract yield 5.4g, 7.6g and 16g, respectively. The petroleum ether, chloroform: methanol and methanol crude extracts was also tested in vitro-antibacterial activities and was evaluated by using disc diffusion method at 100mg/ml concentration using amoxicillin as positive control against two bacterial strains; one gram positive bacteria (Streptococcus pneumonia) and one gram negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. Phytochemical screening test showed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, tannins, Terpenoids, alkaloids and phenols but absence or observed a negative test of saponins. S. pneumonia was more inhibited by petroleum ether extract than Escherichia coli. S. pneumonia and E. coli are least inhibited by methanol extracts. This study shows that the petroleum ether crude extracts has maximum antibacterial activities against the two tested bacteria. The petroleum ether crude extracts were subjected to Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectroscopy and 26compounds were identified. Some major chemical compounds wer e hexatriacontane, neophtadiene and octacosane