ANTIMYCOBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS EXTRACTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS H37RV AND MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS

Nine potent medicinal plants were selected through ethno-botanical survey in Southern parts of Ghana. These medicinal plants used to treat respiratory diseases, stomach ailment and other microbial infections were evaluated for anti-tubercular activity. These selected plants species were tested individual against drug sensitive strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv) and Mycobacterium bovis at concentration ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 mg/ml using Lowenstein-Jensen egg medium at bacteriology department of Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) and Nougchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. Phytoconstituents observed were terpenoids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, glycosides and alkaloids. Allium sativum inhibited the growth of both Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Rv) and Mycobacterium bovis at concentrations of 5.0 mg/ml, 2.5 mg/ml and 1.0 mg/ml with other individual plants inhibiting the test organism at 5.0 mg/ml. This study has scientifically substantiate the used selected medicinal plants used in the treatment of tuberculosis in Ghana and also revealed scientifically that, there is high potential of these medicinal plants which can treat tuberculosis even better than standard drugs