The antibacterial, antiviral activities and phytochemical screening of some Sudanese medicinal plants

Methanolic extracts were obtained from 30 parts of 23 different plants belonging to 19 families. Most of the plants are used traditionally to treat different illnesses in Sudan. The extracts were screened for their biological activities against bacterial pathogens including Escherichia coli, Staphyllococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae and two animal viruses representing two viral families, Newcastle Disease and Fowlpox Viruses. In addition, the extracts were evaluated for the presence of the major secondary metabolites classes. The highest activity recorded was obtained for Zizyphus spina-christi against S. aureus and K. pneumoniae. Seven of the tested extracts, showed virucidal activity of NDV while eight plant extracts exhibited high activity against replication of PV. Our results support, at least in part, the uses of most plants in ethnopharmacological claims.