Abstract
Dacroydes edulis is a plant with many trado-therapeutic claims.The seeds are used traditionally as a remedy for stomach problems like diarrhoea, dysentery etc. Raw seeds of D.edulis were exhaustively extracted using hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol. These extracts were phytochemically screened for presence of reducing sugars, anthroquinones glycosides, saponins glycosides, flavonoids, steroids,terpenoids, tannins and alkaloids. Results showed presence of free anthraquinones, steroids/triterpenes, tannins, saponins, alkaloids and flavonoids. The anti-microbial screening of extracts showed sensitivity against nine microbes:Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and fungi: Candida albicans, Trichophytom rubrum and Microsporum sp. The chloroform extract, using diameter of zone of inhibition of the extracts as criteria for inhibitory strength, exhibited highest inhibition against the pathogens that were sensitive to the extract with Klebsiella pneumoniae being most inhibitive (23 mm). Chloroform extract showed highest growth inhibitory effects (Minimum Inhibition Concentration) for the microbes at concentration of 1.25 mg/mL. All other extracts had MBC/MFC (Minimum Bactericidal/ Fungicidal Concentration) value of 5 mg/mL. This lends credence the trado-medicinal claims on the seed of Dacroydes edulis as remedy for stomach problems.
