International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VII, Issue VII, July 2022 | ISSN 2454–6194
Shehu Abba1, Abdullahi Muhammad1, Abdullateef Abdullahi Ibrahim2*, Muhammad Sulaiman Kurawa1, Mu’azu Alkali Adamu3, Abubakar Bilyamini Mu’azu4
1Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano State, Nigeria
2Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Borno State, Nigeria
3Department of Biochemistry,College of Agricultural Science, P.M.B.1104, Gujiba, Yobe State, Nigeria
4Department of Medical Biochemistry, Yobe State University, Damaturu, P.M.B.1144, Yobe State, Nigeria
Abstract: Opuntia ficus-indica has been reported to be used in folk medicine due to its diverse pharmacological effects. Maceration method was employed in the determination of antioxidant activity and antibacterial effects of the plant leaf using Three (3) different solvents (methanol, ethanol and aqueous). The following isolates; S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, K. pneumonia, E. coli and S. typhi were tested using agar well diffusion method. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activity of the plant extract was carried out through the determination of total antioxidant capacity assay and reducing power assay. Hence, the leaf extracts showed various levels of activity on the different test organisms; The methanolic leaf extract showed highest antibacterial activity against all tested organisms followed by ethanolic extract and finally aqueuos extract with least antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial isolates as showed in S. pneumoniae methanol extracts (17.5±0.66mm), ethanol extract recorded 15.2±0.76mm in S. aureus, and aqueuos extract showed 10.7±0.76mm in both E. coli and S. typhi. On the other hand, the minimum inhibitory concentration in methanolic extract indicated least value in K. pneumoniae with 6.2±0.03 mg\mL, followed by ethanolic extract with 12.4±0.32mg\ml in S. typhi, and aqueuos extract with 29.5±0.12mg\mL in E. Coli. The ability of the methanolic extract to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+ and Cu2+to Cu+ in reducing power assay and total antioxidant capacity respectively using ascorbic acid as a standard reveal it’s antioxidant property. The present study suggests that the methanolic leaf extract of Opuntia ficus-indica may contain compounds that can form the basis for the development of a chemopreventive agent against free radical damage and development of novel antibacterial chemotherapeutic agent.
Keywords and phrases: Opuntia ficus-indica, Antibacterial activity, Antioxidant activity, Crassulacean acid metabolism, Zone of inhibition, Minimum inhibitory concentration, reductones, free radicals
I.INTRODUCTION
Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus, it belong to species: Plantarum, genus: cactus L. division: Magnoliophyta, class: Magnoliopside, order: Caryophyllales, family: Cactaceae and sub family of Cactoideae [9].