ABSTRACT
Bauhinia rufescens Lam (Caesalpinioidae) is a scandent shrub or small tree measuring between 1-3m high but sometimes up to 8m high, often scraggy, stunted and multistemmed. The leaves are stomachic, anti-diarrheotic and anti-dysentric. This study is on the pharmacognostic, phytochemical, antimicrobial and anti-diarrhoea (using castor oil induced dirrhoea method), studies of B. rufescens. The microscopic studies revealed the presence of anomocytic both at the upper and lower layer, trichomes, calcium oxalate, petiole of 0.57mm, lamina of average length 7mm and width 9.8mm. Quantitative evaluation of the crude plant drug revealed the following parameters, Alcohol soluble extractive of 30.1%, Percentage moisture content: 11%, Total ash value 0.66%, Water insoluble ash value of 6%, Alcohol soluble extractive value of 5.6%. Chemo-microscopy revealed presence of Cellulose, Lignin, Starch, Tannins, Proteins, Mucilage and Calcium oxalate. Preliminary phytochemical studies of the methanolic extract revealed the presence of carbohydrates, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside and flavonoid. The methanolic extract was found to be effective against castor oil induced diarrhea on the experimental rats at doses of; 50mg/kg (statistically significant (P<0.1) after one hour), 100mg/kg (statistical significance after one hour (P<0.05) and after two hours (P<0.02)), 200mg/kg (statistical significance after one hour (P<0.05) and after two hours (P<0.02)). For the antimicrobial screening, The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus feacalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida krusei were each 2.5mg/ml respectively while that for Corynebacterium ulcereans, Corynebacterium hemolyticum, Shigella dysenteriae and Candida albicans were found to be each 5mg/ml respectively. For the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), Corynebacterium hemolyticum, Shigella vii dysenteriae, and the fungus Candida albicans showed the highest MBC of 20mg/ml each, followed by Corynebacterium ulcereans, Escherichia coli, and the fungus Candida krusei with MBC of each 10mg/ml while Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus feacalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, showed the least MBC of 5mg/ml. The study revealed that the leaves of Bauhinia rufescens contain secondary metabolites that are responsible for its anti-diarrhoeal and antimicrobial activity and thus support the use of this plant by medicinal practitioners in diarrhoeal treatment.
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