ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has heightened the interest in medicinal plants as potential sources of bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential, and antibacterial activity of ethanol leaf extracts of Jatropha tanjorensis (commonly known as Hospital-too-far) against selected clinical bacterial isolates. Leaves of J. tanjorensis were collected from the University of Benin Botanical Garden and authenticated in the herbarium of the Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology. Clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli were obtained from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids in high concentrations, while tannins and saponins were present at lower levels. Quantitative analysis showed phenols as the most abundant compound (129.31 µg/ml), followed by tannins (100.57 µg/ml), flavonoids (46.97 µg/ml), alkaloids (9.33%), and saponins (3.17%). Antioxidant evaluation demonstrated significant activity, with Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) of 219.08 µg/ml and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP) of 2607.27 µM. The extract also exhibited dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging activity, with 48.97% inhibition at 10 µg/ml and 69.60% at 100 µg/ml. Antibacterial assessment revealed broad-spectrum activity, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being most susceptible (zone of inhibition: 18 mm at 30 µg/ml), while Escherichia coli and S. aureus showed moderate inhibition. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) ranged from 20–30 µg/ml, indicating bacteriostatic effects at lower concentrations and bactericidal activity at higher doses. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolates confirmed high resistance to commonly used antibiotics, emphasizing the therapeutic potential of the plant extract. Overall, Jatropha tanjorensis leaves contain bioactive compounds with potent antioxidant and antibacterial properties, supporting its traditional use and potential application in combating resistant bacterial infections.

Benign prostate hyperplasia is a disease of ageing men. Oxidative stress is a promoter of the ageing process. This study evaluated the effect of the aqueous fraction of the ethanol leaf extract of Cassia alata l.[fabaceae] on antioxidant and lipid per oxidation status of male rats induced with benign prostate hyperplasia. Six groups of six rats each were induced with benign prostate hyperplasia by the subcutaneous administration of testosterone (4mg/kg). Groups 1, 2, and 3 received 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses of the fraction respectively. Group 5 rats (negative control) received 10 ml/kg of distilled water. Group 4 animals (standard control) were treated with finasteride (5mg/kg) while Group 5 rats (negative control) received 10 ml/kg of distilled water. Group 6 animals (normal control) were neither induced nor treated. All administration was daily for 28 days by oral gavage. Rats were sacrificed on the 29th day, blood was obtained, and serum enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured with Elisa assay test kits. Malondialdehyde concentration was equally measured. The extract did not significantly (P<0.05) increase the activities of SOD, CAT, and GPx compared to the negative control, while MDA concentration was also not significant.