A Preliminary Study on the Effect of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Ficus benjamina 'variegata' Fruits on Some Bacterial Isolates

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Ficus benjamina 'variegata' fruits were investigated for antibacterial effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Klesiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bacteriocidal concentrations (MBC) of the extracts were de termined using test tube dilution susceptibility test and agar-well dif fusion method respectively. The aqueous extract of F. benjamina fruits contained saponin and steroids while the ethanolic extract wa s made up of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phe nolics, saponins and steroids. The aqueous extract of the fruit showed n o activity on all the test organisms whereas the et hanolic extract inhibited all the test organisms. The MIC and MBC of the ethanolic extract on the test organisms ranged from 62.5 - 250 mg/ml and 125 - 500 mg/ml. The zone of growth of inhibition varied from 6 - 14.33mm. Overall, the study revealed that both the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Ficus benjamina 'variegata' fruit did not possess antibacterial activities, no twithstanding the MBC and MIC displayed by the ethanolic extract which is not in the pharmacological range. Therefore, both the aqu eous and ethanolic extracts of F. benjamina fruits should not be explored as antibacterial age nt.