Bio isolation, chemical purification, identification, antimicrobial and synergistic efficacy of extracted essential oils from stem bark extract of Spondias mombin(Linn)

The search for drugs from natural sources has been on the increase in ethno-medicinal research1 and plant kingdom has served as an inexhaustible source of useful drugs, foods, additives, flavouring agents, lubricants, colouring agents and gums from time immemorial.2 Medicinal plants have been used since time immemorial in virtually all societies as source of medicine to combat various ailments including infectious diseases. The therapeutic power of herbs has been recognized since creation of the universe and botanic medicine is one of the oldest practiced professions by mankind.3 Medicinal plants contain large varieties of chemical substances with important therapeutic properties that can be utilised in the treatment of human diseases.4,5 The antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal potentials of the plant have been reported.6–9 The plant was recommended for use by pregnant women after five months of pregnancy10 while the mineral analysis of the plant has also been documented.11,12 The abortifacient activity of an aqueous extract of Spondias mombin was reported by The plant has been shown to have a wide range of phyto constituents such as tannins, saponins and anthraquinone glycosides.7 The plant has been reported to be used in the treatment of many disease conditions in the Eastern part of Nigeria by the natives. The associated link between the composition of this world-wide cultivated plant and the reported medicinal and economic values prompted this study aimed at evaluating the phytochemical and antioxidant properties as well as the microbial inhibitory effects of the leaf and stem bark extracts of the plant.