PHYTOCHEMICALS, MINERAL, ANTI-MICROBIAL ANALYSIS AND FTIR STUDY OF DIFFERENT EXTRACTS (ETHANOL, ETHYL ACETATE AND HEXANE) OF Ficus exasperate LEAF (SANDPAPER LEAF)

Abstract

Ficus exasperate is a small tree well known on account of its very rough leaves being used as paper widely spread in all eco-regions of Nigeria. The plant has been ethno botanically reported to have diverse medicinal uses. It is used in herbal medicine to treat cough, hemorrhoid and lowering high blood pressure. Ethanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts of this plant were obtained by maceration and tested for antimicrobial activity using agar diffusion and micro broth method dilution techniques. However, Phytochemicals screening of the hexane extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, cardiac glycoside, steroid, legal test, alkaline reagent and phenol in Sandpaper with no traces of tannins and reducing sugar. The ethyl acetate extract revealed that all test was presence except from the Alkaline reagent and reducing sugar, while the ethanol extract revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, steroid, legal test, cardiac glycoside and phenols without traces of alkaloids, alkaline reagent and flavonoids. The Sandpaper exhibited a wide range of activity on Ethanol, N-haxane and Ethyl acetate extracts at concentration of 5.075, 1.665 and 3.09g respectively. The above results show that F. exasperata leaf contained bioactive substances with the highest inhibitory activities against some human pathogenic organisms. This study justifies the ethno pharmacological uses of these medicinal plants for treatment of microbial infections.