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The increasing prevalence of multidrug resistant bacteria and fungi, the recent appearance of strains with reduced susceptibility to antibiotics, the side effects associated with antibiotics, the high costs of antimicrobial drugs and the re-emergence of diseases like tuberculosis are the key factors that obstruct resonant management of bacterial infections in many developing countries. An increasing number of bacteria, fungi and other microbes are developing resistance to antibiotics. Unfortunately, the future does not look bright in the war against infectious disease, as MDR strains of microbes continue to proceeding at an alarming rate. In fact, MDR strains are adapting faster than the introduction of new, more potent antibiotics. Consequently, this has raised the spectre of untreatable microbial infections and adds the urgency to the search for new infection-fighting strategies. This study was aimed at investigating the chemical components and phytochemical profile present in crude extracts of Aloe secundiflora and to determine its antibacterial activity. Hence this plant could be considered for potential pharmaceutical applications.

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Morris Kathurima holds a B.Sc. in Biomedical Science and Technology from Egerton University and conducted the research described in this book in the same University in 2007. He is also interested in Immunology, Bioinformatics, Functional Genomics and Proteomics.

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