ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF CRUDE METHANOLIC EXTRACT AND FRACTIONS OF THE BULB OF CRINUM JAGUS (LINN)

Crinum jagus is a medicinal plant used traditionally in Nigeria to treat infectious diseases such astuberculosis andmalaria. In the present study, the antimicrobial properties of the crude extract and chromatographic fractions from the bulb of Crinum jaguswere investigated against clinical and laboratoryisolates of bacteria and fungi using both agar well diffusion and agar dilution methods.Ampicillin (antibacterial) and tiaconazole(antifungal) were used as positive reference standard drugs.The crude plant extract and its fractionsdemonstrated broad spectrum activityagainst all the bacteriaand fungi isolatestested. Fraction 1 (24.00 mm zone of inhibition, MIC: 0.20 µg/mL, MBC:0.39µg/mL, MFC: 0.78µg/mL)demonstrated the highest activity, followed by Fraction 2 (24.00mm zone of inhibition, MIC: 0.39µg/mL, MBC: 0.78µg/mL, MFC: 1.56µg/mL. Fraction 3 (20:00mm zone of inhibition, MIC: 0.78µg/mL, MBC: 0.78µg/mL, MFC: 1.56µg/mL,). The crude extract howeverdemonstratedthe least activity against the test bacteria and fungi (18.00 mm zone of inhibition,MIC: 6.25mg/mL, MB: 25.00mg/mL, MFC: 50mg/mL.Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids,saponinsand steroids which may account for the antimicrobialactivity of theplant. The result of the study demonstrated that the extractand fractions of the bulb of Crinum jagus has appreciable antimicrobial properties and suggest that it may be useful in the treatment of microbial infections.