title: Assessment of antibacterial activity of crude leaf and root extracts of Cassia alata against Neisseria gonorrhea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gonorrhea is a major sexually transmitted disease worldwide and for its control, effective treatment is essential. However as more strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae continuously develop resistance to several drugs, this strategy obliges scientists to discover newer effective drugs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain whether crude leaf and root extracts of Cassia alata (Caesalpiniaceae) have antimicrobial activity against clinically resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria. To determine and compare the MICs of their ether and methanol extracts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ether and methanol extracts were prepared from the plant parts. 12-375mg/ml of serially diluted ether extracts in DMSO and methanol extracts in water were tested using agar-well diffusion method against Neisseria gonorrhea clinical isolate cultured on MTM agar. MICs were determined from corresponding concentration-response curves. Ceftriaxone was used as positive control, whereas DMSO and water as negative controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the crude extracts showed concentration-dependent Neisseria gonorrhea inhibition. Ether extracts for both leaves and roots gave lower MICs compared to those of methanol. Ether root extract showed the highest potency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the leaf and the root of Cassia alata plant have activity against clinically resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae; the root having the higher activity. Lipophilic solvent, ether, give more potent antigonorrhoeal extracts. As expected Cassia alata plant in Central Uganda also has antibacterial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Robert Bd
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ameso
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Bernadina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Onegi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002366:Cassia / Q000737:chemistry*; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000432:Methanol; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D014454:Uganda
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Cassia alata; Extracts; MIC; Neisseria gonorrhea; Resistance; Treatment
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