Use of multi-plant extracts against infectious diseases is increasing in rural Tanzania. The study evaluated this ethnomedicinal practice by using mixed root extracts of Carisa edulis, Ximenia caffra, Harrisonia abyssinica and Euclea natalensis against single extracts of the same plants. Disc diffusion assay and Tube dilution techniques were used to compare bioactivity of plant extracts in-vitro. The ANOVA test indicated significant difference (P < 0.05) between these extracts types. Multi-plant extracts had inhibition zones of up to 26mm as compared to 14mm for single extracts. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration for multi-plant extract was 8.3µg/ml against 69µg/ml for single extracts. Multi-plant extracts inhibited all the five test bacterial species while single extracts inhibited three species. Eight out of ten multi-plant extracts (80%) were bactericidal while only two out of four single extracts (50%) were bactericidal. Generally, multi-plant extracts were more superior over single plant extracts and could be developed into more potent antibiotics against resistant pathogens.
The effect of Kadosero, a crude mineral used by traditional healers as a supplement to plant extracts against microbial infections was evaluated. A sample of kadosero from a local market was both analyzed for its basic composition and its role on bioactivity of plant extract. Titrimetric, Gravimetric and Atomic Absorption Spectrometric analyses were used to determine contents of the mineral kadosero. Disc Diffusion Assay was used for bioactivity screening in-vitro. Chemical analysis of kadosero revealed the presence of (0.0038mg/g), Fe 2 (0.0027mg/g), Cl -(232.683mg/g) and Na + (151.25mg/g). In-vitro tests revealed that supplementing extract of Balanites aegyptiaca with a mineral kadosero by using untreated well water reduced number of bacterial from 100 colony forming units to nil at a mass of a mineral between 60-100 mg. On the other hand, a mineral kadosero did not increase bioactivity of the extract of B. aegyptiaca against the test microbes in agar disc diffusion assay. This was attributed by interaction between the mineral kadosero and nutrient agar medium. The crude mineral kadosero can be supplemented to other plant extracts used locally for treatment of general bacterial infections for increased bioactivity. Further study is recommended to determine mechanisms for bacterial vulnerability to this mineral supplement.
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