Antibacterial activity of Mangifera indica (L.)

Leaf extracts of Mangifera indica (L.), a medicinal and horticultural plant were investigated for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using the agar-well diffusion and the gradient serial dilution methods the extracts showed weak antibacterial activity against the study organisms compared with the positive control (gentamycin). The ethanolic extract was most active with minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 5481.0 to 43750.0 mu g ml(-1). Chemical tests showed the presence of saponins, steroids and triterpenoids in the ether fraction, alkaloids, anthracenocides, coumarins, flavonones, reducing sugars, catechol and gallic tannins, saponins, steroids and triterpenoids in the ethanolic portion and anthracenocides, flavonones, reducing sugars in the aqueous fraction of the plant extract. These results shows that leaf extracts of M. indica possess some antibacterial activity that could be the basis for their medicinal use in Uganda.