Antimicrobial activity of anacardium occidental leaves extract against selected gram positive and gram negative bacteria / Maryam Najihah Zainuddin

Anacardium occidentale is the tropical tree that can be used as traditional medicine
for treating variety of disease. The present study was carried out to determine the
phytochemical compound and anitimicrobial activity of methanol and hexane of the
leaves of A. occidentale. In phytochemical screening, there were five tests done to
detect the presence of saponins, tannins, phenols, flavanoids and alkaloids. The
results obtained demonstrate that in A. occidentale leaves contained the same
phytochemical compounds which were saponins, tannins, phenols and flavanoids.
The antimicrobial activity of leaves extract was determined by the disc diffusion
method. The results obtained revealed that A occidentale leaves was potential against
gram positive and gram negative bacteria There were four concentration used (500
mg/ml, 250 mg/ml, 125 mg/ml and 65.5 mg/ml) for the leaves extract. The result
showed that A. occidentale was effective against Bacillus subtilis, Klebsilla
pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Concentration
500 mg/ml was the best concentration for A. occidentale leaves to inhibit the choosen
bacteria. In conclusion, the leaves of A. occidentale was potential in inhibiting
bacteria with significant value at p<0.05 in methanol extract.