Planta Med 2011; 77 - PL42
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282691

Screening of Zambian Ficus species for antibacterial and antimycobacterial activity

AG Bwalya 1, P Stapleton 1, P Phiri 2, D Montamat Sicotte 3, S Hingley Wilson 3, A Lalvani 3, D Tasdemir 1
  • 1Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London WC1N 1AX, UK
  • 2School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, P.O Box 21692 Kitwe, Zambia
  • 3Tuberculosis Research Unit, Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK

Members of the genus Ficus (Moraceae) are traditionally used in Zambia against many infectious diseases, including bacterial (oral, chest and diarrhoeal), mycobacterial and fungal (ringworms) infections [1,2]. Based on this information, we collected different plant parts (leaves, stem and root barks) of eight Zambian Ficus species; F. ovata Vahl, F. wakefieldii Hutch, F. natalensis Hochst, F. sansibarica Warb. subsp. macrosperma, F. lutea Vahl, F. ingens (Miq.) Miq., F. sycomorus L. subsp. gnaphalocarpa (Miq.) and F. sycomorus L. subsp. sycomorus. The dried plant materials were extracted with methanol (CR-Me) and further partitioned to obtain n-hexane (K-Hex), chloroform (K-CHCl3) and aqueous methanol (K-MeOH) subextracts. We recently investigated the antifungal effect of CR-Me extracts against Trichophyton species, the causative agents of ringworm infections [3]. Herein we screened the CR-Me extracts and the subextracts for antibacterial and antimycobacterial activity using agar disc diffusion and MTT assays, respectively. Test organisms were Gram-positive [Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 12695, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA 1199B, Enterococcus faecalis 13379] and Gram-negative [Escherichia coli NCTC 10418] bacteria, plus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv strain). The CR-Me extracts of the stem barks were active against all Gram-positive microorganisms. Of the subextracts, K-MeOH-solubles exhibited the best activity with inhibition zones of 11mm at 100µg/disc concentration against all three Gram-positive bacteria. Moderate antitubercular activity was observed in some K-Hex and K-CHCl3 subextracts, with K-CHCl3-solubles of F. ovata stem bark exhibiting the highest activity (MIC 128µg/ml). These results provide a scientific basis supporting the use of Ficus species in traditional herbal preparations in Zambia.

Acknowledgement: UK Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Rick-Cannell Travel Fund of the School of Pharmacy are acknowledged for funding.

References: 1. Kuete V et al. (2008)J Ethnopharmacol 124: 556–561. 2. Fowler DG (2007) Zambian Plants: Their vernacular names and uses. Royal Botanical Gardens. Kew, UK. 3. Bwalya AG et al. (2010) Planta Med 72: 1301.