Abstract
Background: Hibiscus sabdariffa L., is a plant native to tropical Africa and intensively cultivated in Sudan. Its calyces are widely consumed with many uses in Sudanese folk medicine. Materials and Methods: The dried calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa were subjected to soak in 80% v/v methanol to get the methanolic extract, which was tested against five gram-negative and three gram positive referenced bacterial strains using disc diffusion method. Selected bioactive phytochemical compounds were also investigated using qualitative methods. Results: The results of the antibacterial test indicate that the methanol extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces contained effective antibacterial agent(s), revealed considerable zone of inhibition against all tested gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and it was competitor to Gentamicin, and greatly higher than Penicillin which showed weak or no effect. Conclusion: The results of current investigation support the folk medicine application of this plant against different microbial ailments and suggest it as promising source for new antibacterial agents.
Key words: Hibiscus sabdariffa, methanol extract, antibacterial, disk diffusion, phytochemical.
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