Antimicrobial, antimalarial and antileishmanial activities of Abutilon hirtum

The total ethanolic extract, different fractions and crude polysaccharides of leaves of Abutilon hirtum (Lam.) Sweet, were evaluated for their antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities. The antimicrobial activity was determined using the disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive, Facultative anaerobic bacteria), Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative, Facultative anaerobic bacteria), Candida albicans, C. krusei (Diploid fungi) and C. glabrata (haploid fungus). The antimalarial activity was examined on chloroquine-sensitive (D6, Sierra Leone) strain of Plasmodium falciparum protozoan and the antileishmanial activity was tested against Leishmania donovani. The results of the present study showed that the total extract exhibited the lowest MIC (11.8 μg/ml) against P. aeruginosa. While, the chloroform fraction showed low MIC (59.03, 181.72 and 364.03 μg/ml) against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, respectively. The petroleum ether fraction exhibited the lowest MIC value (3.00 μg/ml) against C. albicans, while the total extract showed the lowest MIC (33.11 μg/ml) against C. glabrata. A. hirtum leaves extract and fractions showed a weak antimalarial activity. On the other hand, the chloroform fraction of A. hirtum leaves exhibited a potent antileishmanial activity with the highest percentage of inhibition (78%) against Leishmania donovani AMASTTHP_Pinh.