ABSTRACT
Throat infections, primarily caused by bacterial pathogens such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mutans, Eschericchia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, pose significant health challenges due to increasing antibiotic resistance. This study explores the antimicrobial properties of natural remedies derived from Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf), Citrus aurantifolia (lime), Zingiber officinale (ginger), and Curcuma longa (turmeric) as potential alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Aqueous extracts of these plants were prepared and subjected to phytochemical, elemental, and antimicrobial analyses. The extract was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus mutans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using standard agar diffusion and broth dilution methods. The antimicrobial assays demonstrated that aqueous extracts exhibited inhibition zones. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) tests confirmed the potency of these plant extracts against the tested bacterial strains. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and phenolics, which are known for their antimicrobial properties. Elemental analysis showed significant concentrations of essential minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium, which may contribute to the extracts’ therapeutic effects.The study concludes that Vernonia amygdalina , Citrus aurantifolia, Z. officinale, and C. longa possess promising antibacterial properties that could be harnessed for treating throat infections, providing a natural and sustainable alternative to synthetic antibiotics.
