PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIBACTERIAL STUDY OF Melia azedarach EXTRACT FRONT OF Escherichia coli

Abstract

Currently, several studies are carried out to test the antibacterial activity of various medicinal plants, in an attempt to develop new antibiotics or drugs that are more effective in combating diseases. Infections caused by species of the genus Escherichia represent one of the main causes of diarrheal infections. Therefore, there is a demand to create new drugs of natural origin to minimize this resistance. In view of the above, this study aims to evaluate the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the extract of the leaves of Melia azedarach against Escherichia coli. To carry out the work, phytochemical tests were carried out at the Ethnobotanical and Phytochemical Laboratory of Universidade Lúrio and clinical analyzes of the extract of M. azedarach leaves were carried out in the microbiology laboratory of Hospital Central de Nampula. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of M. azedarach leaves used for the test by chemical reactions has the following classes of secondary metabolites: Tannins, saponins and triterpenoids and absence of alkaloids. Sensitivity tests of M. azedarach leaf extract against E.coli at the following concentrations: Pure Extract, C1/1 (1mL of extract/1mL of extracting solvent), C1/2 (1mL of extract/2mL of extracting solvent ) and C1/8 (v/v), according to the agar diffusion method (Kirby-Bauer method) revealed the: absence of inhibition halos at all concentrations tested. It is concluded that the ethanolic extract of M. azederach leaves has the following classes of metabolites: Tannins, saponins, triterpenoids and has no antibacterial activity against E. coli.