THE POSSIBLE VALUE OF Prosopis africana (LEGUMINACEAE) IN THE TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS

Prosopis africana , Family Leguminoceae, is used in ethnomedicine to treat different ailments including, malaria in Nigeria, male sterility in Sudan and as a cardiotonic agent in Senegal. This research aims at evaluating the anti-tuberculosis activity, analgesic and anti-inflammatory action of the stem bark extract of P. africana. Preliminary studies using the agar dilution method show that the stem bark extract of Prosopis africana (1000, 1500, 2000 µg/ml) has inhibitory activity against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the causative organism of tuberculosis (TB). It also significantly inhibited B. subtilis and S. aureus but not the gram-negative organisms: E. coli, P. aeruginosa , S . typhii and yeast ( C. albicans ) at all test concentrations (1000, 2000, 3000 µg/ml). Aqueous extracts of Prosopis (100 and 200 mg/kg i.p) significantly inhibited acetic acid induced writhing in mice and a dose and time-dependent inhibition of the egg white induced paw oedema ( P <0.05). The study provides evidence of activity against clinical isolate of mycobacteria, significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, and provides a basis for its possible use as an affordable and effective anti-TB agent from natural product.