Identification and quantification of some potentially antimicrobial anionic components in miswak extract.

Abstract

Objective: To identify and quantify some potential antimicrobial anionic components in Salvadora persica root and stem aqueous extracts. Methods: Extraction of powdered root and stem samples was performed by soaking the powder in sterile deionised distilled water for 24 h at 4o C. Each 100mg of the freeze-dried extract was reconstituted with 10 ml deionised distilled water and filtered through a 0.45 (m cellulose acetate filter. The anionic components of the filtered extracts were identified and quantified by capillary electrophoresis. Results: The root and stem extracts contained chloride, sulphate, thiocyanate and nitrate in the following concentrations (w/w %) in stem and root extracts, respectively: 6.84% and 4.64%, 20.1% and 19.85%, 0.38 and 0.28%, and 0.05% and 0.05%. Only the differences in chloride were statistically significant (p< 0.05). Conclusion: S. persica contains potential antimicrobial anionic components and that capillary electrophoresis is a convenient method for their identification and quantification.