Anti-microbial activity of ethanolic medicinal plant extracts used in management of diarrhoea in cattle in the mount Elgon region (Mbale district)

Abstract

Traditional knowledge and practice have been employed by local communities and herbalist to manage cattle diarrhea, but their potential as effective agents against diarrhea-causing pathogens in cattle have not been scientifically well known. The study was both experimental and survey. Cross-sectional survey was conducted in Nyondo sub county, Mbale district, Mount Elgon region on the major medicinal plants the community uses for the management of diarrhea. This was done based on a standard feedback questionnaire (appendix1). The experimental part was carried out in the Busitema university microbiology laboratory. Plant leaves were extracted by maceration in 70 percent ethanol and antimicrobial screening was done using disc diffusion method. In the results, Calliandra calothyrsus, Moringa oleifera, Tamarindus indica, and Harrisonia abyssinica extracts show relatively low mean inhibition, with minimal impact on microorganism growth. They share the letter 'a,' indicating that their inhibitory effects are statistically similar. Mango extract demonstrates a significantly higher mean inhibition compared to the first group hence ranked in terms of their inhibitory effects on microorganism growth from least to most as follows: Calliandra calothyrsus< Moringa oleifera< Tamarindus indica< Harrisonia abyssinica < Mangifera indica. The antibacterial findings of Mangifera indica extract showed its ability to inhibit the growth of the test organism with the highest zone of inhibition seen in P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. According to sensitivity, Staphylococcus aureus is the most resistant organism, as it has the lowest mean inhibition (8.44 mm). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is intermediate in sensitivity, with a mean inhibition of 10.72 mm and Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most sensitive organism, exhibiting the highest mean inhibition (11.83 mm). Therefore, in terms of sensitivity of the microorganism to the tested plant extracts, the ranking from most resistant to most sensitive is Staphylococcus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli.