Antimicrobial Properties of Methanol Extract of Dacryodes edulis Seed and Determination of Phytochemical Composition Using FTIR and GCMS

Local medicine in some African countries has utilized the plant parts of Dacryodes edulis to treat various ailments such as wounds, skin diseases, dysentery, and fever. Some of these diseases are caused by pathogenic bacteria. To validate the trado-medical applications of D. edulis, an investigation of the phytochemical, antimicrobial properties of the methanol extract of the seed was conducted, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis was also carried out to determine compounds responsible for these medicinal properties. The Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of Tannins, Phenols, Terpenoids, Flavonoids, Steroids, Phenolic compounds, and Glycosides in the extracts. Results from the antimicrobial screening revealed inhibition was against specific Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the antimicrobial inhibition properties were acceptable when compared with the standard drug (ciprofloxacin). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed a variation of the peaks indicating synergy among the functional groups present in the extract. Forty-four (44) peaks were observed in the Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) spectra and the compounds with the highest percentage concentration where recorded and their medicinal properties correlated with the local utility of the plant's seed extract.