The traditional medicinal plants Phyllanthus niruri and Syzygium aromaticum have numerous phytochemicals that make them valuable in medicine such as alkaloids, flavonoid, saponins, phenols and steroids. This paper examined the antimicrobial activity of their solvent extracts by confirming ethnomedicinal suitability and determining the potential as complementary antimicrobials. The leaves and fruits of P. niruri were dried, then powdered and extracted with ethanol, distilled water and boiled water. Agar well diffusion was used to test the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi with cefuroxime and ciprofloxacin serving as controls. Inhibition zones were recorded after incubating the tissues at 37⁰C after 24 hours. Phytochemical screening reported all the target bioactive compounds in the two species. It was revealed that, ethanolic extracts were more effective in antibacterial activities than distilled water extracts and boiled water extracts, which were relatively less effective in this regard with some being even equal to or greater than the standard antibiotics. It was established that Syzygium aromaticum was more effective in antibacterial activities when compared to distilled water extracts and boiled water extracts which were relatively weak. On the whole, S. aureus showed the greatest susceptibility, then E. coli and moderate sensitivity of S. typhi was demonstrated. These results support the significant antibacterial activities of the two plants and especially the broad-spectrum activity of S. aromaticum, which will justify the use and eventual therapeutic utility of both.

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