Abstract

The antibacterial activities of bi-herbal ethanolic leaf extract of Mistletoe (Phorademdron serotinum) and mango (Mangifera indica) against selected gastrointestinal pathogens were carried out. Selected phytochemical compounds of each plant extract were analysed using standard methods. The percentage yield of mango ethanolic leaf extract was 31.0%, with mistletoe ethanolic leaf extract recording a high yield of 41.1%. Each plant's ethanolic leaf extract was tested against the bacterial isolates singly and combined. The antibacterial activity of mango ethanolic leaf extract ranges from 11.00mm to 24.00mm, while that of Mistletoe ethanolic leaf extract ranges from 9.00mm to 24.00mm. All the phytochemicals screened were present in both plants' leaf extracts, except glycosides and oxalate, which were absent in mango ethanolic leaf extract. The plant extracts showed greater potency strength with each bacterial isolate when tested. The minimum inhibitory concentration of mango ethanol leaf extract against all the test organisms was 50mg/ml, except Bacillus cereus, which recorded a MIC of 12.5mg/ml. The MIC of Mistletoe ethanolic leaf extract against the test organisms was 25mg/ml, except for Streptococcus pneumoniae and Vibrio cholerae, which recorded MICs of 12.5mg/ml and 6.25mg/ml, respectively. Conversely, the MIC of bi-herbal extracts against the test organisms showed promising inhibitory potential of 6.25mg/ml, except in Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, where each recorded MIC of 12.5mg/ml. The organisms were sensitive to each extract tested separately but were more sensitive to the extract when tested combined than when tested separately.