Phytochemical Constituents and Antimicrobial Activity of Aqueous Extract of Cymbopogancitratus

Abstract

Aqueous extraction from Cymbopogancitratus whole plant is commonly used as infusion (herbal tea) for the treatment of various ailments. Information on its phytochemical composition and therapeutic uses is however scanty in literature. In this study, the phytochemistry and antimicrobial activity of aqueous extract of Cymbopogancitratuswhole plant was evaluated. The screening for its phytochemical contentand subsequent quantification of the extract from water of Cymbopogancitratusshowedit to containsaponins (18.10%), alkaloids (10.5%), steroids (8.18%), flavonoids (2.74%) and phenols (0.4%).The aqueous extract of Cymbopogancitratusinhibited a broad range of pathogens (B. cereus, S. typhi, S. aureus, E. coli 0157, Shigella species, A. flavus, C. albicans, A. fumigatus, T. rubrum and E. floccosum).A range of 6.00 mm to 24 .00 mm was recorded as its zone of inhibition with highest inhibitory effect on S. typhi (11.00mm) at a concentration of 125mg/ml. The constituent phytochemicals may account for varied ethnobotanical uses of the plant in folk medicine of Nigeria. It is also considered that Cymbopogancitratuscould be a very rich source of antimicrobial formulation if properly harnessed and processed.