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This study evaluated the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and virulence potential of enterococci in poultry and their environment in the area. Swab samples from chicken (370) cloacae and soil (46) were subjected to standard culture. Isolates identified biochemically were subjected to an antibiogram using 10 antimicrobial agents and their potential virulence determinants were assessed using standard procedures. Enterococcal species were isolated from 97.84% and 65.22% of the cloacal and soil samples, respectively. Resistance to the following antimicrobial agents was observed in the isolates: quinu prist quinupristin-dalfopristin (46.4%), erythromycin (51.2%), chloramphenicol (46.4%), vancomycin (20.2%), enrofloxacin (13.1%), linezo lid (8.3%), teicoplanin (7.2%), and levofloxacin (5.95%). Totally 31 resistance patterns were detected, and 27 showed multiple resistance patterns. Enterococcal strains from soil demonstrated higher antimicrobial resistance than chicken strains, except for levofloxacin and linezolid. None of the strains showed resistance to high-level gentamicin and streptomycin. Phenotypic expression of enterococcal virulence revealed the following: surface layer, 70%; gelatinase production, 60%; biofilm, 55%; β-hemoly sis, 32.5%; DNase production, 20%, and protease production, 37.5%. This study revealed that poultry and their environment had viru lent enterococci with multiple drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the major threats facing mankind. The emergence and rapid spread of multi- and pan-drug-resistant organisms (such as vancomycin-, methicillin-, extended-spectrum β-lactam-, carbapenem- and colistin-resistant organisms) has put the world in a dilemma. The health and economic burden associated with AMR on a global scale are dreadful. Available antimicrobials have been misused and are almost ineffective with some of these drugs associated with dangerous side effects in some individuals. Development of new, effective, and safe antimicrobials is one of the ways by which AMR burden can be reduced. The rate at which microorganisms develop AMR mechanisms outpaces the rate at which new antimicrobials are being developed. Medicinal plants are potential sources of new antimicrobial molecules. There is renewed interest in antimicrobial activities of phytochemicals. Nigeria boasts of a huge heritage of medicinal plants and there is avalanche of researches that have been undertaken to screen antimicrobial activities of these plants. Scientific compilation of these studies could provide useful information on the antimicrobial properties of the plants. This information can be useful in the development of new antimicrobial drugs. This paper reviews antimicrobial researches that have been undertaken on Nigerian medicinal plants.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of Crinum jagus (J. Thomps.) Dandy methanolic bulb extract in wound healing., Materials and Methods: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, and saponins in the extract. In vitro antimicrobial activity of the extract was determined by agar well diffusion method. In vivo antimicrobial activity of the extract was determined by microbial assay of excision wound in rats contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas areuginosa, and Candida albicans and treated with 300 mg/kg body weight (bw) of 10 and 5% methanolic C. jagus bulb extract ointment (MCJBEO), respectively. Enzymatic antioxidant effect of the extract was determined in vivo by assaying superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in excision wound biopsies of rats treated with 10 and 5% MCJBEO, respectively, following standard methods. Non-enzymatic antioxidant effect of the extract was determined in vitro using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method following standard procedure., Results: The extract exhibited in vitro antimicrobial effect in a concentration-dependent manner with one hundred (100) mg/ml concentration of the extract having the highest inhibitory zone diameter for B. subtilis (25 mm), S. aureus (21 mm), and C. albicans (14 mm) followed by the 50, 25 and 12.5 mg/ml concentrations, respectively. B. subtilis, S. aureus, and C. albicans were not isolated from wounds of animals treated with both extract concentrations 10% and 5% MCJBEO, and reference drug (framycetin sulfate/clotrimazole). Activities of the enzymatic antioxidants SOD and CAT in wound biopsies treated with 10% MCJBEO were significantly (P < 0.05) higher when compared with those treated with 5% MCJBEO. Significantly (P < 0.05) decreased MDA level of wound biopsies from extract-treated rats was observed. The extract exhibited non-enzymatic antioxidant (DPPH) effect in a concentration-dependent manner., Conclusion: This study has shown that an anti-microbial and antioxidant effects could possibly be part of mechanism by which C. jagus bulb extract promote wound healing process.

Objective: Crinum jagus (J. Thomps.) Dandy commonly called Harmattan or St. Christopher's lily belonging to the family Liliaceae is widely used traditionally in Southeastern Nigeria for treatment of skin sores. This study investigated the wound healing potentials of methanolic C. jagus bulb extract (MCJBE) using incision, excision, and dead space wound healing models., Materials and Methods: Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins in the extract, but absence of flavonoids. In the incision and dead space wound models, rats were dosed orally with 300 mg/kg body weight (bw) of 10 and 5% of MCJBE solution, respectively, while in the excision wound model, rats were treated topically with 10 and 5% MCJBE ointments (MCJBEO), respectively., Result: The 10% MCJBE gave significantly (P < 0.05) highest percentage rate of wound contraction, shortest re-epithelialization and complete healing time when compared with 5% MCJBE and reference drug, framycetin sulfate. The extract of C. jagus showed significant (P < 0.05) concentration-dependent wound healing activity in incision, dead space and excision wound models. No contaminating microbial organism was isolated from wound sites of the rats dosed and treated with MCJBE throughout the study period. At day 7, post infliction of excision wound, histomorphological, and histochemical studies revealed more fibroblasts and Type 1 collagen deposits in wound site sections of rats treated with both 10 and 5% MCJBEO while those of the control showed more inflammatory cells and fewer Type 1 collagen deposits. At day 14 post infliction of excision wound, more epithelial regeneration with overlying keratin were seen in the histological sections of wounds of rats treated with both 10 and 5% MCJBEO, while histochemical study showed more Type 1 collagen deposits in wound site sections of rats in 10% MCJBEO treated group., Conclusion: This study established that methanolic C. jagus bulb extract potentiates wound healing. The study thus validated the folkloric use of C. jagus bulb in the management of skin sores and boils.