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Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Properties and Antimicrobial Activities of the Extracts from Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica

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Abstract

Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica belong to a group of invaluable plants used in managing a wide range of diseases in West Africa. This study aimed at assessing the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts of the stem bark of F. africana and F. elastica. The dried, milled stem barks of F. africana and F. elastica were extracted with water and 70% ethanol by cold maceration. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids, and tannins were determined using standard methods. The extracts were tested against bacterial and fungal pathogens, namely; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, and Candida albicans. The zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), activity index, and the total antimicrobial activity of the extracts on the organisms were evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, reducing sugars, anthocyanins, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, quinones, tannins, and saponins. The ethanolic extract of F. elastica had the highest phenolic flavonoid contents and total antioxidant capacity. A positive correlation was observed between TPC with TAC (R = 0.893, p < 0.05) and TFC with TAC (R = 0.613, p < 0.05). The extracts were most active against E. coli and C. albicans and least active against B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa. The data obtained from the study indicated that the barks of the two plants possessed both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

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All data generated or analyzed in this research work are included in the preparation of this manuscript and the supplementary material and will be available upon request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Dr. Francis Osei Amoako-Andoh (Research Scientist) and Miss Sylvia Kafui Archer (Laboratory Technician) at Biochemistry Laboratory, CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Fumesua for aiding towards this research. The authors also acknowledge Mr. Francis Amankwaah (Laboratory Technician) at the Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Department of Pharmaceutics, KNUST for his immense support.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. However, the authors acknowledge the OWSD Early Career Fellowship programme for providing research support for the laboratory where this study was conducted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana

    Theophilus Fadjare Frempong, Mercy Badu, Blessed Agbemade, Ransford Appianin Boateng & Nathaniel Owusu Boadi

  2. Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS), KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

    Vivian Etsiapa Boamah

  3. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS), KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

    Isaac Kingsley Amponsah

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  1. Theophilus Fadjare Frempong
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Correspondence to Mercy Badu.

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Frempong, T.F., Badu, M., Boamah, V.E. et al. Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Properties and Antimicrobial Activities of the Extracts from Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica. Chemistry Africa 4, 503–512 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-021-00249-5

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