Antibacterial and Phytochemical Screening of Calotropis procera Leaf Extracts against Vancomycin and Methicillin Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Wound Samples in Hospital Patients

The Phytochemical and antibacterial activities of Calotropis procera Leaf Organic Fractions were tested against vancomycin and methicliin resistant bacteria isolated from wound patients in Ondo State Specialist Hospital. The bacterial isolates used are; Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Streptococcus pyogenes. Agar well diffusion method was used to determine the antibacterial activities of the extracts on resistant bacterial isolates. Ethanol extract had the highest zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with 16.03 mm and 12.05 mm respectively while cold and Hot water extracts recorded the lowest zones of inhibition values of 3.54 mm and 5.53 mm respectively against Klebsiella pnuemoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the n-Hexane extract had no inhibitory effect against Streptococcus pyogenes and Proteus mirabilis. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannin, saponin, terpenoids, cardic glycoside and phenols. Findings of this research indicate that the leaf extracts of Calotropis procera posses antibacterial potency which will assist in the preliminary treatment of wound infections, most especially because of its high inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus.