Adedayo Olajide Ajay
Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria
Title: Antimicrobial activities of natural honey, Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Biography
Biography: Adedayo Olajide Ajay
Abstract
Honey is a supersaturated sugar solution with a high osmolarity that retards microbial growth. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of natural honey was evaluated with 4 pathogenic microorganisms consisting of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris and Streptococcus feacalis using agar diffusion method. Undiluted honey was generally effective giving a bactericidal inhibition zone of 11.7mm, 11.5mm and 10mm for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus feacalis compared with the chloramphenicol antibiotics which serve as standard control having 10mm, 18mm and 10mm respectively. This is highly commendable because of other nutrient benefits of honey. Similarly, honey with diluents of ethanol at concentration of 5% and 6% were effective with zone of inhibition as high as 30mm for Escherichia coli compared with the chloramphenicol antibiotics which serve as standard control having 10mm zone of inhibition.
Dry leaves extract of plant sources such as Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) and Red acalypha (Acalypha wilkesiana) were also tested as therapeutic agents in vitro. The samples were extracted by using solvents like methanol and ethyl acetate. Caesalpinia. pulcherrima exert zone of inhibition of 14mm, 20mm, 16mm and 14mm against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris and Streptococcus feacalis compared with the control values stated above. Acalypha wilkesiana (Red acalypha) extract also show zone of inhibition of 12.5mm, 18.5mm, 15.6mm and 17.8mm against above test organism respectively under same condition. This study shows that honey and the extracts of this plant sources possess potent antibacterial activity against tested pathogenic organisms in our quest for valuable discovery of potent drugs from natural sources.