Development of Herbal Formulations from Klainedoxa gabonensis and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial Efficacy

Felix Okponanabofa Youkparigha¹, Henshew Ememobong Carbom²

¹ Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

² Lecturer, Department of Science Laboratory Technology (Microbiology), School of Applied Sciences, Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. 

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance has necessitated the search for alternative therapeutic agents from medicinal plants. This study evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of herbal formulations developed from Klainedoxa gabonensis. Plant extracts were prepared using ethanol, methanol, and aqueous solvents, followed by phytochemical analysis, formulation, and antimicrobial evaluation. Ethanol extract showed significantly higher total phenolic (85.4 ± 2.1 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (60.3 ± 1.7 mg QE/g) contents compared to methanol (78.2 ± 1.8; 55.1 ± 1.4) and aqueous extracts (65.6 ± 1.5; 42.8 ± 1.2) (p < 0.05). Antimicrobial activity revealed that ethanol extract exhibited the highest zones of inhibition (18.5 ± 0.9–26.0 ± 1.2 mm), particularly against Staphylococcus aureus (26.0 ± 1.2 mm), while aqueous extract showed the least activity (13.2 ± 0.5–18.3 ± 0.8 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from 12.5–25.0 mg/mL for the ethanol extract, indicating strong antimicrobial potency. The 20% herbal ointment demonstrated enhanced activity (20.1 ± 1.0–28.0 ± 1.3 mm), comparable to standard antibiotics. Field evaluation showed significant wound healing, with 20% formulation achieving 92.2 ± 3.1% contraction compared to control (48.0 ± 2.0%) (p < 0.05), and reducing microbial load from 8.6 ± 0.4 to 1.5 ± 0.2 ×10⁵ CFU/mL. Surface microbial contamination was reduced by 84.7%, indicating strong disinfectant potential. These findings indicate that Klainedoxa gabonensis possesses potent antimicrobial properties, and its formulated products have promising applications in wound management and environmental sanitation.    

Keywords: Klainedoxa gabonensis, Phytochemicals, Antimicrobial activity, Herbal formulation, Wound healing, MIC.

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