In vitro Antioxidant and Anti-staphylococcal Activity of Bixa orellana Linn. and Milicia excelsa Welw

Abstract

An estimated 80% of persons in the world depend on medicinal plants for their healthcare needs. It is essential to study these plants in a bid to evaluate their therapeutic properties, adding credence to their applications in folklore. In this study, we report the antioxidant and antibiotic properties of Bixa Orellana (BO) and Milicia excelsa (ME) against Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Antioxidant profile, Total phenol content and total flavonoid content of both plants were performed using standard methods. Also, methanolic extracts of Bixa orellana and Milicia excelsa prepared in concentrations ranging from 3.125 mg/ml to 100 mg/ml were assessed for their antimicrobial activity using the agar well diffusion method. Total phenol content was 1.039 mg/g and 1.032 mg/g while total flavonoid content was 0.76mg/g and 0.5mg/g for Milicia excelsa and Bixa Orellana respectively. Both plant extracts also showed good free radical scavenging ability. The S. aureus isolates showed a dose-dependent sensitivity to the test extracts with sensitivity reducing at lower concentrations. Bixa Orellana showed better activity than Milicia excelsa. However, Milicia excelsa inhibited more organisms at lower concentrations (≤25 mg/ml). This study has shown the efficacy of both plants as alternative herbal treatments.