INSIGHTS INTO THE IN-VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC STEM BARK EXTRACT FROM DURIO ZIBETHINUS MURR. AGAINST GRAM-POSITIVE AND GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIAL STRAINS

Abstract

Since most medications for treatment are ineffective against bacterial and viral infections, they are the most difficult diseases to cure in humans. The appearance of medication resistance factors that have challenged the efficiency of all antibacterial agents prompted the research on the antibacterial properties of methanol stem bark extract of D. zibethinus. This research aims to take a look at the phytochemical and antibacterial properties of the stem bark extract of D. zibethinus Murr. against various bacterial strains, including gram-positive strains such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, also gram-negative strains like Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Klebsiella pneumonia. Making use of qualitative analysis, the availability of phytoconstituents in methanol stem bark extract of D. zibethinus Murr. were examined, while the standard agar disc diffusion technique was utilized to evaluate the antibacterial activity. The results obtained showed the availability of phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, steroids and glycosides in the D. zibethinus Murr. stem bark. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the stem bark extract showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli, and S. Typhi, with inhibition zones ranging from 15.88 to 18.72 mm at the highest concentration of 200 mg/mL compared to the standard gentamicin antibiotic. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for S. aureus and S. epidermidis was 0.250 mg/mL, while E. coli had MIC of 0.125 mg/mL. The findings of our investigation revealed that the stem bark extract of D. zibethinus Murr. exhibited the most potent antibacterial activity against E. coli. Our conclusion is that the D. zibethinus Murr. stem bark extract could be a viable therapeutic agent as an alternative.