in vitro evaluation of antibacterial activities of seed and shell extracts of Moringa oleifea against some human pathogenic bacteria

Abstract

Phytochem ical analyses of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera seed powder demonstrated only the presence of saponins, reduced sugar, and carbohydrates. The antibacterial properties of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Moringa olifera seed powder were determined in vitro against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonnella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration method (MIC). The aqueous extract of the seed powder displayed a potential antibacterial acti'pity against the two tested gram-negative bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonnellat yphi, and the two tested gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis . The methanolic extract of the seed powder however displayed antibacterial activity for only Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis . The zones of inhibition for seed powder of aqueous and methanolic extracts were 4.33 -12 mm and 0.83 -5 mm respectivel y. The results suggest that the seed powder extracts of M .oleifera can be used as antibacterial agents that could be developed into chemotherapeutic products .