Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial investigation of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts

Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial analysis of Moringa oleifera leaf collected from Ogbomoso, Nigeria were carried out. The secondary metabolites in M. oleifera leaf were extracted by maceration using chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol. Some important bioactive compounds or metabolites in the leaf extracts, such as steroids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpernoids and phlobatannins were analyzed. The ethanolic leaf extract was observed to show the highest antimicrobial activity when compared to chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts. It also compared favourably to nystatin, streptomycin and gentamicin (standard antibiotics). The study affirmed the therapeutic potency of the plant, which could be due its high antimicrobial effects on some pathogens like Klebsiella sp, P. aeruginosa, Trichoderma sp, Aspergillus flavus, Bacillus cereus, S. pneumoniae, Candida. sp, and E. coli.