in vivo Antibacterial Activity of Acacia nilotica Phenolics Againts Extreme Multidrug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria have long posed serious social, health, and economic issues in Nigeria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a nosocomial pathogen, has always been a major healthcare problem globally, especially with its elevated capacity to resist novel, strongest antibiotics and other therapeutic agents. This necessitates the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment and management of multidrug-resistant strains. This research aimed to evaluate the potential of Acacia nilotica plant-based phenolics as antibacterial agents against extreme drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates from Kaduna State metropolis. Ethanol was used as a solvent to extract Acacia nilotica (L.) leaves. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), column chromatography, and spectral analyses were used to isolate the phenolics from the plant extract. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the fraction. Using microbiological, biochemical, and molecular methods, eleven highly resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified after being isolated from clinical samples. Their antibiogram profile was determined using Antibiotic disc diffusion method. The biochemical effects of the plant extract phenolic fraction were assessed in vivo against extreme drug-resistant bacteria. Data obtained showed that tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenols were present in the plant extract at varying concentrations (ranging from 0.06–14.47 mg/g dry wt). The bioassay revealed that the phenolic fraction of Acacia nilotica (L.) has significant biological therapeutic activity against the extremely drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in this study. Phenolics from the Acacia nilotica (L.) plant may serve as a substitute active pharmaceutical ingredient for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains resistant to drugs.