Comparison between in Vitro Activities of Solanium Aethiopicum and Rauwolfia Vomitoria Leaves Extract on Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) Isolates from Urine.
Authors: Eze H.C , Ikegwuonu Euphemia Afoma , Chukwujekwu Anulika, G , Okonkwo Ngozi Nonyelum , Enweluzor Adaugo Chinwendu , Anazodo Chidiebere Agatha , Izomor Ray Niofunimbi 
Published: August 2024

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are treated with antibiotics and untreated case could cause permanent damage of kidneys (pyelonephritis), however, pathogens of cystitis are fast becoming resistant to some antibiotics if not all. This resistance has increased the interest of medical researchers on herbal remedies that can serve as alternatives to conventional antibiotics; in line with this quest , this research x-rayed the effects of both ethanol and aqueous extracts of Solanium aethiopicum and Rauwolfia vomitoria leaves singly and in combination on hematological parameters, lipid profile, enzymatic antioxidant potentials and renal function test with a view to developing an effective antimicrobial agent for the treatment of urinary tract infection/ kidney diseases. Their efficacy of alternatives were evaluated by agar well diffusion and macro-broth dilution methods on 37 bacterial, and 6 fungal clinical urine isolates of E. coli, S. aureus, Psuedomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus spp, Proteus marabilis, Candida and Klebsiella species. Activity of the ethanolic extract of the S. aethiopicum was significantly higher than the aqueous extract (P<0.05). Activities of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. vomitoria were comparable. All extracts affected 6 of the 8 strains used except ethanolic extract of S. aethiopicum that affected 7 strains. Ethanolic extract of S. aethiopicum was bactericidal on 2 of the organisms, E. coli and Klebsiella species with MIC ranging from 5.94 to 6.25 mg/ml and MBC of 6.25 to 9.06 mg/ml. Other single extracts were bacteriostatic on affected organisms. Time-Kill assay of ethanolic extracts of S. aethiopicum and R.vomitoria against E. coli (in log10 cfu/ml) had a viable cell count reduction from 7.14 to 3.28 for S.aethiopicum and 7.14 to 5.30 for R. vomitoria after 4 h exposure at 2MIC. Action of both plants was synergistic in combined before extraction (CBE) aqueous extract and additive in (CBE) ethanolic extract on E. coli but antagonistic to all other strains affected. However, action of both plants in combined after extraction (CAE) aqueous and ethanolic extracts were antagonistic on all affected organisms. The best fractions, fraction E of R. vomitoria and 3 of S. aethiopicum affected 96.3% and 93.8% of the organisms. Phytochemical analyses of crude extracts revealed the presence of alkanoids, glycosides and tannin in all while the fractions had terpanoids among others in relative proportions. Also, chlorogenic acid responsible for the bactericidal effect on the bacterial was revealed in greater percentage of S. aethiopicum than R. vomitoria by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). LD50 of both plants was > 5000mg of extract/mg body weight of albino rat. Results above justify their folkloric application in the treatment of urinary tract infection.