Screening of some Nigerian medicinal plants for antibacterial activity

Crude extracts from eight Nigerian medicinal plants, used traditionally in the treatment of infectious and septic diseases in both humans and animals were screened in vitro for antibacterial activity, using the hole-plate dif fusion method. Most of the extracts were active against Gram-positive bacte ria. Two of the plant, Angeiossus schimperi and Anacardium occidentale, had good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aerug inosa which are Gram-negative bacteria. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland L td. All rights reserved.