ABSTRACT

 Plants have been valuable and indispensable sources of natural products fot the health ot' human beings and they have a great potential for producing new drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial effect of lemon extracts against Gram positive and Grain I1cgativc bacteria using agar well difllision. The fresh fruits were washed in running tap water in laboratory. surfhce sterilized with 70% alcohol, rinsed with sterile distilled water and cut open with a sterile knife and the juice pressed out iiito a sterile universal container sejiarately and then filtered (using Millipore 0.45 filter paper) into another sterile container to remove the seeds and other tissues and used freshly as crude without refrigeration. The characterization of test isolates which belong to the genera of E. co/i, P,seudoinoncis aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epideriniths and SIUJ)/?jIOCOCClIV cwieus. The phytochemical constituents of the different extract of lemon juice. i'he extracts revealed the presence f Alkaloid, Phenol, Tannin and Saponin. The antimicrobial activity of aqueous lemon extracts against gram positive and gram negative isolates measured in (mm). Leo/i 22mm at 20% concentration revealed mofe antibacterial activity more than the other Gram negative organisms while S. aureus 12mm had more antibacterial activity more than any other Gram positive organism isolated. The antimicrobial activity of ethanol lemon extracts against gram positive and grain negative isolates measured in (mm). E.coli 20mm at 20% concentrate on revealed more antibacterial activity more than the other Gram negative organisms while S. aureus 17mm had more antibacterial activity more than any other Gram positive organism isolated. 'Ihis study justifies the use of the leaves in traditional medicine practice as a therapeutic agent and can explain the long history use of these plants. This research work has shown that C. lemon has potential antibacterial components that are responsible for its antibacterial activities