Antimicrobial Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Moringa oleifera Lam. Crude Extracts Against Selected Bacterial and Fungal Strains
The n- Hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and distilled water Leaf, Stem, Flower and Fruit extracts of Moringa oleifera were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against six Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive bacteria and antifungal activity against seven fungal strains using Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline, Fluconazole and Ketacozole as positive control. The activity was analyzed by well diffusion and two-fold serial broth dilution method of different extract. The study revealed that all the extracts irrespective of their types, in different concentrations inhibited growth of the test pathogens to varying degrees. Ethyl acetate extract showed maximum activity against all the bacterial strains followed in descending order by methanol, n-.Hexane and distilled water extracts. Ethyl acetate extract showed high antibacterial activity against Serratia marcescens (22mm) Methanol and n-Hexane extract were effective against Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus subtilis (10mm) respectively. Aqueous extract showed maximum number of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (27mm) and Micrococcus luteus (18mm). Ethyl acetate extract showed maximum inhibition against Trichoderma harzianum (16mm) than other extracts were ineffective against selected fungus. MIC values were recorded as 0.125 to 4mg/ml. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols and flavonoids. Expression to these results it may be concluded that M. oleifera may be a potential source for the curing of various infectious diseases caused by the resistant microbes