Using the disc diffusion method it was demonstrated that extracts of the leaves, stem and roots of
Terminalia mollis
Laws (Combretaceae) have antibacterial activity against
Staphylococcus aureus
(NCTC 6571),
Escherichia coli
(NCTC 10418),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(NCTC 10662),
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(NCTC 9633),
Salmonella typhi
(NCTC 8385), and
Bacillus anthracis
(NCTC 10073) and antifungal activity against
Candida albicans
(Strain HG 392), and local strains of
Aspergillus flavus
and
Cryptococcus neoformans
. The root extracts were the most active followed by the stem, and leaf extracts.Extracts of the three parts also exhibited cytotoxicity to brine shrimp larvae with LC
50 values ranging from 26.3 to 58.1, l0.4 to 69.5, and 42.9-101.3μg/ml, for the root, stem, and leaf extracts, respectively. The results support the traditional uses of extracts of this plant for the management of bacterial and fungal infections.