The phytochemical composition of aloe vera and its antibacterial activity.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections affecting people worldwide. The increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to conventional antibiotics has created a need for alternative antimicrobial agents from medicinal plants. Aloe vera is one of the medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of various infections because of its bioactive phytochemical constituents. This study aimed at determining the qualitative phytochemical composition of Aloe vera extracts and evaluating their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Fresh Aloe vera leaves were collected, processed, and extracted using water and ethanol as extraction solvents. Qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out to detect the presence of anthraquinones, alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins. Antibacterial activity was determined using the agar well diffusion method against E. coli and S. aureus. The results revealed that both aqueous and ethanol extracts contained the tested phytochemicals, although the ethanol extract showed stronger phytochemical presence. Both extracts inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus, with ethanol extracts demonstrating stronger antibacterial activity compared to aqueous extracts. The study concludes that Aloe vera possesses important phytochemicals with antibacterial properties and may serve as a potential natural antimicrobial agent against bacterial pathogens associated with urinary tract infections.
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Undergraduate research report
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Citation
Bogere, S. (2026). The phytochemical composition of aloe vera and its antibacterial activity. [Unpublished undergraduate research report]. Busitema University.