European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ANTIBACTERIAL POTENTIAL OF JATROPHA CURCAS LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE IN BENIN

Armelle Sabine Yélignan Hounkpatin*, Dossou Armel Géraldo Houndeton, Amoussatou Sakirigui, Mamatchi Mélina, Franck Yovo

ABSTRACT

Sickle cell disease patients are highly susceptible to bacterial infections, and therapeutic options are often limited by antimicrobial resistance. This study evaluated the antibacterial potential of hydroethanolic (50 :50 v/v) leaf extracts of Jatropha curcas and their ability to reverse bacterial resistance to common antibiotics. The extract was tested against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa) using broth microdilution to determine minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations. Synergy assays with amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin were performed using the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC). The extract exhibited strong activity against Gram-positive strains and several Gram-negative isolates, with MICs of 6.25–12.5 mg/mL and MBC/MIC ratios of 4, indicating bactericidal effects. P. aeruginosa was less sensitive (MIC 25 mg/mL; MBC >200 mg/mL). When combined with amoxicillin or ciprofloxacin, the extract produced synergistic effects (FIC ≤0.125) across all tested strains, including resistant P. aeruginosa, leading to marked reductions in antibiotic MICs. Hydroethanolic extracts of Jatropha curcas leaves demonstrate promising bactericidal activity against pathogens relevant to sickle cell disease in Benin. Beyond direct antibacterial effects, the extract significantly enhances the activity of standard antibiotics, supporting its potential as a source of adjuvants to combat antimicrobial resistance. Further studies should aim to identify active compounds and validate these findings in vivo.

Keywords: Jatropha curcas; Antibacterial potential; hydroethanolic extract; sickle cell disease.