Antimicrobial and phytochemical screening of Euphorbia hirta used by Abagusii Mothers in treatment of infectious diseases among young children
Author(s)
Nyamwamu Nyarang’o Charles and Nyamwamu Lydia Bonareri
Abstract
Antimicrobial and Phytochemical screening of Euphorbia hirta reputed to be widely used in the treatment of infectious diseases was carried out. Screening covered mainly the root, stem, leaf and flower extracts of ether. The whole plant contains compounds such as alkaloids, anthocyanins, anthracene glycosides, carotenoids, coumarins, emodins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids/triterpenoids, tannins and volatile oils, all known to be of medicinal value. The root, stem, leaf and flower extracts of ether, methanol and water inhibited the growth of all the micro-organisms that they were treated against. The most sensitive organism to these extracts was Candida albicans (f7, 77=1 7.7, p<0.001), a stubborn fungal pathogen and the leaf and root were the most inhibitory plant extracts respectively (F3, 77=5.9, p<0.001). C. albicans and P. vulgaris were the most and least sensitive microorganisms respectively F7, 77=2.7, p<0.001). Individual plant parts did not show any significance with respect to the extraction solvent (F2, 3=3.2, p<0.001). Methanol was the most efficient when the effectiveness of the extraction of solvents are compared. The result is statistically significant at (F2, 3=3.2, p<0.01). Thus, the medicinal herb as used by Abagusii mothers since time immemorial has a healing agent in the treatment of oral thrush, diarrhoea and dysentery in young children.
How to cite this article:
Nyamwamu Nyarang’o Charles, Nyamwamu Lydia Bonareri. Antimicrobial and phytochemical screening of Euphorbia hirta used by Abagusii Mothers in treatment of infectious diseases among young children. Int J Appl Res 2021;7(2):283-288.