Abstract

S. M. Ayodele *, G. Alpheus and O. M. Iruaga

The ethanol extracts of the root, stem and leaves of Terminalia albida were evaluated for their antibacterial activities using agar diffusion method to justify the ethno botanical uses of the plant parts by the traditional healers in Nigeria. The ethanol extracts of the root, stem and leaves were effective against the test bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis) at all the concentrations used (100 l- 500 mg/ml) . The root extract at 500 mg/ml is most effective against E. coli and K. pneumoniae, the stem extract at 500 mg/ml was most effective against P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis while the leaves extract at 500 mg/ml was most effective against P. mirabilis. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) test of the root, stem and leaves extracts showed that the test organisms were inhibited at all concentrations. The root extract showed more inhibitory effect than the stem and leaf extracts. The results of this study validated the use of various parts of this plant in traditional medicine in many parts of Africa.