Antibacterial and Phytochemical Activity of Gliricidia sepium against Poultry Pathogens

Aim: To examine antibacterial and phytochemical activity of Gliricidia sepium in the treatment of poultry pathogens.

Place and Duration of Study: the work was carried out in the Department of Microbiology Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, between January 2013 to July 2014.

Methodology: The methanol, ethanol, aqueous, acetone and petroleum ether soluble crude and fractions extract of Gliricidia sepium leaf were examined for antibacterial activities against selected poultry pathogens, Phytochemical and possible sources of antioxidant were examined. The antibacterial activity of the crude and fractions were carried out against four poultry bacteria isolates using the agar well diffusion and paper disk methods respectively. For all the tests, the significance was determined at the level of P< 0.05.

Results: In the antibacterial activity using agar well diffusion it was found that ethanol extract possessed highest zone of inhibition of 25.90±0.10 millimeters against S. typhi while the least zone of inhibition of 15.00±0.00 millimeters was recorded with petroleum ether against S. flexneri. The antioxidant DPPH test was performed with appreciable level of both ferric reducing antioxidant properties and free radical scavenging activities were of better expression in ethanolic extract than others. Likewise, ethanol extract has the highest concentration of phenol with a value of 7.57±0.00 mg/g and the highest flavonoid content was recorded in ethanol extract with a value of 3.94±0.02 mg/g.

Conclusion: The antibacterial activity showed by the extract of G. sepium was notable therefore the extract of this plant can be harnessed effectively in control of the growth of poultry pathogens.