Analysis of the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Acetone Leaf and Bark Extracts of Embelia basaal

Plants have formed the bedrock of traditional medicinal systems across cultures for centuries. Embelia basaal is known for its diverse therapeutic applications in traditional medicine. This study investigates the in vitro antimicrobial potential of acetone extracts from the leaves and bark of Embelia basaal against a panel of clinically significant fungal and bacterial pathogens. The agar disc diffusion method was employed to determine the zones of inhibition at concentrations ranging from 10 to 30 mg/mL. The antifungal assay against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Aspergillus niger revealed a concentration-dependent activity. Notably, the bark extract demonstrated superior efficacy, exhibiting inhibition against all three fungi at higher concentrations (20-30 mg/mL), while the leaf extract showed no activity until 25 mg/mL. At 30 mg/mL, bark extract zones (7-11 mm) approached the positive control (streptomycin, 12-15 mm). The antibacterial screening encompassed ten strains, including Gram-positive (e.g., MRSA, S. aureus) and Gram-negative (e.g., E. coli, K. pneumoniae) bacteria. Bark extracts consistently outperformed leaf extracts, showing broad-spectrum activity against all tested strains except K. pneumoniae at lower doses. The antibacterial activity was also concentration-dependent, with bark extract at 30 mg/mL producing substantial inhibition zones (13-20 mm), comparable in several instances to streptomycin. Leaf extract displayed more selective and generally weaker activity. The negative control (DMSO) showed no effect. Results, expressed as mean ± SD (n=3), indicate that acetone extracts of E. basaal, particularly from the bark, possess significant antimicrobial properties. This preliminary evidence supports the traditional use of Embelia species and warrants further investigation to isolate the active compounds and determine their mechanisms of action.