ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIALS OF MORINGA OLEIFERA SEEDS ON SOME ENTERIC BACTERIA

ABSTRACT

Moringa oleifera belongs to family Moringaceae, it is one of the 13 species within the same genus. It generally grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world including Africa. The seeds of Moringa oleifera was collected from it puds and it was ensured that the seeds was healthy and uninfected and its ethanolic and aqueous extracts was analyzed for its phytochemical properties and antimicrobial potential against four enteric bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Enterobacter sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. Three Gram negative and one Gram positive bacteria were used for this study. Using sterile dilution technique, 4g of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts were dissolved separately in 10mls of water to give concentration of 400mg/ml followed by serial dilution with distilled water to give various concentrations of 200mg/ml, 100mg/ml and 50mg/ml. The result of the antibacterial test revealed that the ethanolic extract of the seed of Moringa oleifera inhibits the growth of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella Pnuemoniae, Enterobacter sp. and Staphylococcus aureus at a concentration of 400 mg/ml. However, this was not the same for the aqueous extract because it could only inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter sp. at a concentration of 400mg/ml.