Phytochemical and antimicrobial screening of methanol and aqueous extracts of Agave sisalana.

The methanol and the aqueous extracts of the plant, Agave sisalana were prepared and evaluated for its phytochemical properties and antimicrobial activities. The phytochemical analysis of the preparation revealed the presence of some secondary metabolites which include: saponins, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, steroids, tannins and flavonoids. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the crude methanol and aqueous extract of the Agave sisalana were investigated. The extract showed antimicrobial activities against the test organisms with different zones of inhibition ranging from 28-32 mm and 25-29 mm for methanol and aqueous extract, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of both the methanol and aqueous extract was between 10-20 mg/mL, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was between 20-40 mg/mL for both extracts. The investigation indicated that the methanol extract inhibited the growth of the microbes more than the aqueous extract. The ability of the crude extracts of A. sisalana to inhibit the growth of the microbes is an indication of its antimicrobial potential, which may be employed in the management of microbial infections.