Nutritional

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major concern in clinical medicine due to the importance of β-lactams in the therapy of staphylococcal infections. MRSA strains have become a yardstick for the test of new antibiotics because of their ability to respond to newly developed antibiotics. This research was designed to investigate the antibacterial potential of L. camara leaves on MRSA isolated from pigs. Also, Nutritional and phytochemical constituents were analysed, so as to hypothesise whether L. camara can serve as feed component and simultaneously as prophylaxis against MRSA. Non-flowering L. camara leaves were collected, washed and the extract was obtained through aqueous extraction. Nutritional parameters, phytochemical constituents and Antibacterial potential of L. camara leaves were obtained using standard procedures. MRSA isolates were obtained from the anterior nares of apparently clinically healthy pigs using sterile cotton swabs. The result of proximate analysis using the AOAC method showed dry matter composition of (23.2±0.01%), crude fiber (20.9±0.03%) crude protein (20.2±0.02%), ether extract (4.3±0.03%) and ash (2.3±0.03%). Quantification of the phytochemical component showed the concentration (mg/L) of the following in the order: saponin>tannins>flavonoids>phenol>terpernoids for the oven dried-leaves and saponin>tannins>terpernoids>flavonoids>phenol for the air dried-leaves. Lantana camara aqueous leaf extract also had some bactericidal properties against MRSA isolates as it reduced the MRSA population size from 3.1×105 CFU/mL at day zero (0) to <1 CFU/mL in day 5. It can be concluded that L. camara leaves could be used as feed component and at the same time as prophylaxis against MRSA infections.