Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 31 (1992) 8 l-83
Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
Short Co~unication
Activities of Chromolaena odorata (Compositae) leaf extract
against pseudomonas aeruginosa and streptococcus faecalis
O.N. Irobi
Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna. P.M. B. 6.5, Niger State (Nigeria)
(Received October 20, 1991; revision received May 21, 1992; accepted May 23, 1992)
Introduction
The development of resistance by hospital
pathogens to many of the commonly used antibi-
otics provides an impetus for further attempts to
develop new antimicrobial agents to combat infec-
tions. Plant extracts have been used in folk medical
practice for the treatment of different ailments
since antiquity (Okanla et al., 1990). In 1989,
Fadeyi and Akpan reported on the antibacterial
activities of leaf extracts of Eugeniu uniflora L.
against Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella
dysenreriae, Escheri~hia coli and nacelle ~bt~lis.
Chromolaena odorata (L} King & Rob., a
member of the Compositae, is a native of tropical
America from where it has spread to other parts of
the tropical world. It was probably introduced
into Nigeria three decades ago (Metawally and
Ekejiuba, 1981) and is commonly referred to as
Awo weed by local people in Southern Nigeria. deposited at the Herbarium of the Department of
The plant is listed by Hutchinson and Dalziel in
their book Flora of West Africa published in 193 1.
At present the populace use the leaves for treat-
ment of skin diseases.
Previous chemical analyses of the plant indicate
the presence of flavones and flavonoids (Bose et
al., 1973; Metawally and Ekejiuba 1981), as well as
tannins, saponins and sesquiterpenes (Agu, 1980).
Previous studies of the antibacterial activity of the
oils distilled from the plant showed that they in-
hibited Klebsiella aerogenes and Staphylococcus
aureus (Agu, 1980). In 1991, Irobi et al. described
Correspondence to: O.N. Irobi, Department of Biological
Sciences, Federal Univeristy ofTechnology, Minna, P.M.B. 65,
Niger State, Nigeria.
0378-8741/92/$05.00 0 1992 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
Printed and Published in Ireland
81
the antifungal activities of the plant. The present
paper reports on activities of ethanolic leaf extract
of Chromoluena odorata against hospital strains of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus
fuecalis.
Materials and Methods
Source of micro-organisms
Hospital isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and Streptococcus faecalis collected at the Univer-
sity of Ilorin Teaching Hospital were used. The
organisms were stored on blood agar slants at 4C
prior to testing.
Plant material
The plant material used for this work was col-
lected and authenticated by Mr. J.N. Etukudo
(Etukudo 231) and a voucher specimen has been
Biological Sciences, University of Ilorin, under
accession number 684. The leaves were shade-
dried at ambient temperature prior to grinding,
Extract preparation
Powdered leaves of the plant (100 g) were ex-
haustively extracted with 500 ml of ethanol (95%)
(BDH Chemical Limited, Poole, UK) using a Sox-
hlet apparatus for a period of 8 h. The greenish-
yellow extract obtained was passed through mem-
brane filters with 1.2 pm and 0.45 ,um pore sizes,
respectively. The extract was then concentrated in
vacua at 40C using a rotary evaporator (Buchii
type) to obtain a sticky brown-black semi-soiid
substance. This was lyophilised in 15-ml ampoules
and stored in the refrigerator (Thermocool, Elinda