Antibacterial Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Leaves and Fruits

Hibiscus sabdariffa (Indian elder, family: Malvaceae) is a species of hibiscus, found naturally in Malaysia, India, Africa and Australia. It is cultivated wild areas on village outskirts and wasteland in Malaysia, Perak State. The parts of the plant are used for diuretic, mild laxative, cholerectic, hypotensive, lowering blood pressure and treatment for cardiac and nerve diseases and cancer. So far no phytochemical and biological investigation has been carried out on this endangered and rare species, though several ethnomedical uses of the plant exist. The present study aimed to carry out antibacterial properties of the methanolic extract of H. sabdariffa leaves and fruits. The crude methanolic extract of H. sabdariffa leaves and fruits showed better antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria compared to Gram positive bacteria. However, the standards showed better activity with lower concentration when compared to both the extracts against the entire organism.