The efficacy of some medicinal plants used locally within Transmara west, Narok County, Kenya against selected Enterobacteria and Candida

Abstract

The bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae and fungal genus Candida have continued to be a great challenge worldwide including resistance to antibiotics and relapse of infections mediated by them. Among these organisms, Salmonella typhi, Shigella species, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli strains have emerged as the most frequent cause of diarrheal illnesses which account for an annual mortality rate of 4.6 million people worldwide and many other infections. Candida albicans has been reported as a causative agent of all types of candidiasis. In the present study, the efficacy of plants commonly used plants in Transmara west, Kenya against these microbes was investigated. An ethnobotanical survey using semi-structured questionnaire was done. Plant extracts were obtained through methanolic extraction. Antimicrobial susceptibility assay was done using Kirby Bauer disk diffusion technique. Minimum inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) for the bacterial test stains and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) for C. albicans were determined using microtitre broth dilution method. Phytochemical tests were done using standard procedures. The study validates the ethno-medicinal use of Pterolobium stellatum, Rhamnus prinoides, Phyllanthus urinaria, Carissa edulis, Clutia abyssinica, Clerodendrum rotundifolium, Clerodendron myricoides and Dovyalis abyssinica and recommends consideration for the use of the studied plants as possible sources of antimicrobial agents in the development of drugs for treatment of Enterobacteria and Candida related infections