The consumption of antioxidants, which are ubiquitously
present in many medicinal andherbal plants, has been associated with a reduced risk of the incidence of oxidative diseases
ranging from cancer, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes
mellitus, rheumatic arthritis to aging (Halliwell 1996). In
recent years, a number of antibiotics have lost their effectiveness due to the development of resistant strains. In addition,
antibiotics are sometimes linked to adverse effects such as
hypersensitivity, immune-suppression and allergic reactions
(Berahou et al. 2007). There is therefore a need to develop
new antibiotics from natural sources such as plants.