Journal of Antimicrobial Agents

Abstract

Reem Rabie Mohammed Salih* and Haytham Hashim Gibreel

The aim of this study is to evaluate antimicrobial effect leaves aqueous extracts against human and animal infectious bacterial strains. The leaves were air-dried, powdered and water extracted at concentration of 0.2 g/ml, 0.4 g/ml and 0.5 g/ml and were tested aginst different bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Salmonella dublin); the antibacterial assay carried using agar diffusion method. Data of antimicrobial effect (inhibition zone in “cm”) was subjected to analysis of variance using SAS software where Duncan Multiple Range Test was used for means separation at P=0.05. The results indicated that, leaves of the species showed antimicrobial potential at tested concentrations (0.2, 0.4 and 0.5 g/ml). The results of analysis of variance indicated that, the diameter (cm) of inhibitory zone within the studied bacterial strains increases significantly as concentration increased. The lowest average inhibitory zone (cm) was 1.4 ± 0.07 recorded in Salmonella dublin at low concentration (0.2 g/ml), while 1.9 ± 0.05 (cm), 1.9 ± 0.06 (cm) and 1.9 ± 0.07 (cm) were the highest average inhibitory zone obtained by application of 0.5 g/ml leaves aqueous extract against Escherichia coli, Staph aureus and Staph epidermidis respectively.