Abstract

MORINGA OLEIFERA SEEDS: A POSSIBLE PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC AGENT AGAINST BACTERIA AND FUNGI

*Christiana Orevaoghene Akpo, Joy Emovigho Ahomafor and Precious Ndu Ogu

Abstract

This study is set out to establish Moringa oleifera seed’s potential as a phytotherapeutic agent against bacteria and fungi. In this research, the ethanol, aqueous and oil extracts of Moringa oleifera seeds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against some bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp, Salmonella typhi, Enterobacter spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Serratia spp, Providencia spp, Micrococcus spp, Streptococcus pyogenes and Lactobacillus spp; and the fungi, Candida albicans, Rhizopus solani, Microsporum canis, Aspergillus flavus, Trichophyton rubrum. The concentrations of the extracts used were between 3.125 % to 100 %. On analysis, the zones of inhibition showed that the ethanol extract had clear inhibition against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, Lactobacillus spp and C. albicans at all concentrations while the other test organisms were resistant. The ethanol extract gave the highest mean zones of inhibition of 14.0mm at 50 % and 100% concentration for E. coli and S. aureus respectively and lowest mean zone of inhibition of 0.6mm at 6.25% and 3.125% for E. coli. The mean zones of inhibition for the ethanol extract were generally low compared to the control drug used. The oil extract was also effective against Lactobacillus, E. coli, Bacillus spp, Enterobacter spp and Micrococcus spp while the aqueous extract was inactive against all the test organisms. Bacillus spp and Enterobacter spp were most susceptible to the seed oil with a mean zone of inhibition of 23.3mm at 100 % concentration. From the results of this research it can be concluded that Moringa oleifera’s seed is a possible source of new antimicrobial agent.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Moringa oleifera.