Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Tuberculosis Activity of Extracts of Detarium senegalense Bark and Root

Tuberculosis [TB] remains one of the major global health threats leading to morbidity and mortality. Detarium senegalense J. F. Gmelin belongs to a group of medicinal plants that are used by traditional medicine healers for the treatment of venereal diseases, urogenital infections, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, stomach-ache, intestinal worms, diarrhea, bronchitis, tuberculosis, convulsion, malaria and leprosy. The present study was aimed to investigate the in vitro anti-tuberculosis effect of different solvent extracts of Detarium senegalense bark and root against attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis [BCG]. The crude extracts [n-hexane, ethyl-acetate, methanol] of the plant parts were successively extracted and tested in vitro by broth microdilution technique against M. bovis. The result shows that the crude extracts inhibited the growth of M. bovis at concentrations ranging from 7.8 – 250 μg/mL. The ethyl-acetate extract of Detarium Senegalense bark was the most effective in inhibiting the growth of M. bovis with a minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] of 7.8 µg/mL while the ethyl-acetate and methanol extract of the plant’s root had MICs of 250 µg/mL. This study demonstrates the efficacy of extracts of Detarium senegalense bark and root as potential agents in the management of the tuberculosis disease.