Assessment of antibacterial activity of the crude leaf extract of Citrus limon on Coryneforms isolated from the axilla.

Abstract

Background: Chronic bad odor is deeply life-altering with devastating and lasting effects on social, professional and home life. Clinically this condition is called bromhidrosis and affects about 0.34% of the population worldwide. This odor is normally due to bacterial breakdown of the sweat by the axillary normal flora. The bacteria species mainly implicated for the breakdown of sweat are Coryneforms which is one of the normal flora. Objective: To assess the antibacterial activity of the crude leaf extract of Citrus limon against Coryneforms isolated from the axilla, a plant which is used in Uganda for the treatment of Bromhidrosis. Methods: A sac of Citrus limon leaves were collected, dried and pounded using a motor and pestle. Methanolic extracts were obtained and screened for phytochemical composition. Archived Coryneforms were used in the study. The antibacterial test used was the agar well diffusion assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using broth dilution methods. Results: Tannins, reducing sugars, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, steroids and flavonoids were present while saponins were absent in the crude leaf extract of Citrus limon. Methanolic leaf extract of Citrus limon and gentamicin showed antibacterial activity against the Coryneforms with MIC 31.25 mg/ml and 0.125 mg/ml respectively. Conclusion: The methanolic leaf extract of Citrus limon showed antibacterial activity against Coryneforms, justifying its use in the treatment of bromhidrosis.