COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN Hibiscus sabdariffa AND Syzygium samarangense JUICE EXTRACTS

There is growing interest in the chemical composition of plants towards discovery of more effective biotherapeutic agents. Six bioactive compounds were evaluated from Hibiscus sabdariffa and Syzygium samarangense juice extracts. Both juices had high amounts of saponins, with Syzygium samarangense having higher content (4.77%) than Hibiscus sabdariffa (1.46%). Microbial counts in the juices were in the range of 10^4 cfu ml^-1 of ethanolic extract. The juice extracts showed significant (P≤0.05) antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Candida albicans, implying that the juices possess both antibacterial and antifungal properties. The results give substantial scientific credence to the current therapeutic uses of these plants.