Investigations into the antibacterial activity of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. and Ziziphus xylopyra (Retz.) Willd.
Ziziphus plants (Rhamnaceae family) are reported to possess bioactive compounds, recognized for traditional use and medicinal importance. Present work aims to evaluate antibacterial activity of stem extracts of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. and Ziziphus xylopyra (Retz.) Willd. Stem barks were extracted in different solvents and analyzed by agar well diffusion assay. Z. mauritiana methanol extract (ZMM-A) had greatest antibacterial activity against S. aureus (22 mm) which was identical to positive control Gentamycin (22 mm), while the Gram negative test organisms were resistant to Z. xylopyra aqueous-dioxane extract (ZXAD). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to suppress most sensitive S. aureus exemplified ZMM-A extract at 1.5 mg/ml and Z. xylopyra methanol extract (ZXM-A) at 2.5 mg/ml. Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) study of potent ZMM-A and ZXM-A extracts reflected presence of variety of compounds responsible for antibacterial activity and require further intensive study. This research finding signifies methanolic Ziziphus stem bark extracts as possible and reliable natural source of pharmaceutical drug with antibacterial potential.