Comparative Antimicrobial Activities of the Gel, Leaf and Anthraquinone Fractionates of Four <i>Aloe</i> Species (<i>Aloe camperi</i>, <i>Aloe elegans</i>, <i>Aloe eumassawana</i> and <i>Aloe scholleri</i>)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the medicinal significance of traditionally used Aloe plants by testing their crude extracts and Anthraquinone fractionates for antimicrobial activity against standard stock organisms. The significance of this study is to promote the discovery of new alternative to drugs currently being used. The gel and leaf cover of these four plants were extracted using cold ethanol extraction method and Anthraquinones were fractionated from the leaf cover using the liquid-liquid extraction technique. The extracts obtained were then screened in different concentrations for their antimicrobial activity against stock organisms Staphylococcus aureus ( ATCC 1 6538) and Escherchia coli ( ATCC 25922) to access the activity of the aloe species against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. It was determined that the crude extracts of the gel and leaf part of the four aloe species had antimicrobial activity against gram positive ( Staphylococcus aureus ) and gram negative ( Escherchia coli ) bacteria and Escherchia coli showed the least sensitivity towards the four plant extracts while Staphylococcus aureus was highly susceptible.