Medicinal plants are extensively used in traditional medicine to cure various infectious diseases in human. The extract of leaves and root of Eucalyptus camaldulensis were screened phytochemically for the presence of secondary metabolites and the antibacterial properties. The methanol extracts of fresh leaf, shed leaf and root of Eucalyptus camaldulensis were studied against three isolated organisms Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphlococcus aureus. The result of phytochemical screening showed that extract of fresh leaf, shed leaf contain anthraqinones, carbohydrate, cardiac glycoside, flavonoid, saponins, triterpenes while the root extract lack all these but contain only carbohydrate. Fresh leaf and shed leaf of E. camaldulensis were active against all the bacteria isolated and root extract was active against only gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus). The ability of the crude extracts of the leaves to inhibit the growth of bacteria is an indication of its broad spectrum. The antibacterial activity of the leaves extracts of E. camaldulensis can be attributed to the action of the phytochemical compounds they contain. There was no significant difference in the antimicrobial activity of the green leaf and shed leaf extracts but they were significantly different from the root extract of E. camaldulensis. The results of this study support the traditional use of Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves as an antibacterial agent.
