Abstract

This study was aimed at using FTIR to analyze the functional groups present in the fraction and to also carry out the antimicrobial analysis of the ethanol leaf extract obtained from Ficus carica (Linn). The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of 3339 cm -1 which is typical of –OH (alcohol) while, 2918and 2851 cm -1 cm -1 can be said to be C-H (stretch) for alkanes. Also, the peak at 1617 cm -1 (C=C) is that of conjugated alkenes. Equally observed, is the peak at1438 cm -1 (C-H bending) which is equivalent to that of methyl in alkanes. The signal at 1375 cm -1 (C-O) is that of alcohol and 1036 cm -1 (C-O stretch) is typical of alcohols. While the Mininum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the ethanol leaf extract was obseved at 5mg/ml for Staphylococus aureus and Shigella dysenteriae, and 2.5mg/ml for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi. The Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the ethanol leaf extract was observed at 10mg/ml for all the microbes. The presence of these group of compounds could be responsible for the sensitivity of the ethanol leaf extract, hence, its role in in traditional medicine practice.