IJFSNPHT 2017 Volume 9 Issue 6

International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition, Public Health and Technology (IJFSNPHT) ISSN: 0975 – 8712

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Comparative antimicrobial activity of four essential oils extracted from medicinal plants harvested in South East Nigeria. Elechi N.A., Ikechukwu E., Bala D.N., Osuala F.N., Ogah M. IJFSNPHT (2017), 9(6):45-59

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Title:

Comparative antimicrobial activity of four essential oils extracted from medicinal plants harvested in South East Nigeria

Authors & Affiliation:

Elechi N.A.1, Ikechukwu E.2, Bala D.N.3, Osuala F.N.4, Ogah M.5

1 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

2,4,5 Faculty of Pharmacy, Madonna University, Elele, Nigeria.

3 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria.

nkemdirim.elechi@uniport.edu.ng, shalomcare2020@yahoo.com, pharmacognosy64@yahoo.com, ngozifen@yahoo.com, margaretoga@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT:

The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from four medicinal plants, namely, Onion, Guava, Basil and Ginger have been compared in this study using four standard strains of bacteria and one fungi. The Disc diffusion method was used to test for sensitivity, and then the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) determined graphically. Sensitivity tests showed all bacteria and fungi to be susceptible to all the essential oils tested. No single essential oil was observed to have a consistently higher activity than all the rest against all the tested organisms. However, Onion showed the highest activity with a very low MIC of 0.0003ml/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, and Ginger the lowest activity with a high MIC of 0.126ml/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. On the other hand, Staphylococcus aureus is significantly (p<0.05), most susceptible to all the essential oils tested with MICs as low as 0.001 for Ginger, 0.001 for Basil and 0.001ml/ml for Guava. Therefore, the choice of essential oil to be used as an antimicrobial agent will depend on the micro-organism to be prevented or treated.

Key words: Essential oils, antimicrobial, disc diffusion, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC).