Antimicrobial activity of Bis-salicylaldehyde Ethylenediamine Schiff Base and Its Lanthanoids (III) Complexes

Abstract

Schiff base readily form complex with metal ions and the resultant complexes especially from transition metals were extensively used in many fields of human endeavor including antimicrobial therapy. However, the potentials of Lanthanide-Schiff base complexes as an antimicrobial agent have not been adequately studied. This study aims to synthesize and determine the antimicrobial activity of Bis-salicylaldehyde ethylenediamine Schiff Base and its Lanthanoids (III) Complexes. The Dysprosium (III), Gadolinium (III), Neodymium (III) and Samarium (III) complexes of Schiff base derived from Salicylaldehyde and ethylenediamine were synthesized under reflux condition in ethanol and their antimicrobial activity were determined using disc diffusion method. Bis-salicylaldehyde ethylenediamine was a shiny crystalline yellow with a yield of 93% and its complexes were various sheds of yellow ranges from pale to dark, with percentage yield between 94-98%. The Bis-salicylaldehyde ethylenediamine had good activity against C. albican (32mm at 100mg/ml), A. niger (20mm at 100mg/ml) and Fusarium Spp (17mm at 100mg/ml) but its complexes had low (07-11mm at 100mg/ml) or no (06mm at 100mg/ml) activity against all the fungal isolates. The antibacterial activity of the Bis-salicylaldehyde ethylenediamine against E. coli (8mm at 100mg/ml), Pseudomonas (6mm at 100mg/ml) and Klebsiella (13mm at 100mg/ml) was lower than that of Ampiclox (between 17 to 20mm) and even though, all its Lanthanoid (III) complexes between 8 to 14mm at 100mg/ml) had higher antibacterial activity than the Bis-salicylaldehydeethylenediamine but still the activity of Lanthanoid (III) complexes was lower than that of Ampiclox. Considering the in-vitro antimicrobial activity exhibited by Bis-salicylaldehyde ethylenediamine and its Lanthanoid (III) complexes against bacterial and fungal isolates, both will not be potential antibacterial agent but Bis-salicylaldehyde ethylenediamine could be pontential antifungal agent. We therefore, recommend further researches geared toward exploring its full potentials for antifungal therapy.