JOURNAL OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
University of Zimbabwe Publications

DOI: 10.5897/UJ-JASSA
Email: uzpub@admin.uz.ac.zw

Antibacterial, Antifungal and Anti-inflammatory properties of the wild and domesticated Sorghum cereal plants of Zimbabwe

DOI: 10.5897/UJ-JASSA.17.006.2   |   Article Number: CF6C66B06   |   Vol.22 (2) - December 2016

Authors:  Taderera T. , Chitindingu K. , Marume A. and Muchuweti M.

Keywords: Antibacterial; Antifungal; Anti-inflammatory; Cyclo- oxyginase, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT

Water, methanol (MetOH) and ethanol (EtOH) extracts obtained from seeds and roots of the red variety of Sorghum bicolor (domesticated) and Sorghum arundinaceum (wild plant) were assayed for antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory (COX- 1 and COX-2) activities. The antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated using micro-dilution assays against a Gram- positive (Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and the fungus Candida albicans. Both MetOH and EtOH extracts of Sorghum bicolor and Sorghum arundinaceum (roots and seeds) were found to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth. Water extracts generally exhibited low inhibition capacity. EtOH extracts for Sorghum bicolor and Sorghum arundinaceum roots had the inhibitory capacity with Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (0.195 and 0.45 mg/mL respectively). The EtOH extracts of roots also had the highest inhibition capacity for both Sorghum bicolor (with minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 0.74 mg/mL) and Sorghum arundinaceum (with MFC value of 0.64 mg/mL). Both plant extracts were found to exhibit significant anti-inflammatory activity. All the extracts from the different solvents inhibited cyclo- oxygenase activity. As a preliminary indicator of antibacterial, antifungal as well as anti-inflamatory activity, alcoholic extract results for both plants are significant and can be the starting point for the search for new drug sources.

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