ABSTRACT

The study evaluated the antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera root bark extract on clinical isolates. Dried samples of root barks of M. oleifera were collected at National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike in Ikwuano, Abia State, Nigeria. The root barks of M. oleifera sample was identified and authenticated at the Herbarium of the Department of Plant sciences and Biotechnology, Michael Okpara university of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. The antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera root bark extracts on some pathogens was investigated with different solvents (methanol and aqueous) against test organisms {Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) using agar well diffusion method. The different extracts were prepared at different concentration (200mg/ml, 100 mg/ml, 50mg/ml, 25 mg/ml, 12.5 mg/ml and 6.25mg/ml). the aqueous extracts of Moringa Oleifera root bark showed minimal antibacterial activity against the isolates at 200 mg/ml, 100 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml and 25 mg/ml concentrations as against the methanol extracts. Amongst the different Moringa oleifera root bark extracts studied, the methanol extracts have more significant inhibitory effect than the aqueous extracts. The diameter of zone of inhibition (mm) produced by methanol and aqueous leaf extract of the Moringa oleifera root bark indicated that the aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera root bark showed minimal antibacterial activity against the isolates at 200 mg/ml, 100 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml and 25 mg/ml concentrations as against the ethanolic extracts. The results also show that as the concentrations ofthe extract increases there is a corresponding increase in the zones ofinhibition and comparing the activity. The present work has shown that Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were susceptible to extracts ofMoringa oleifera root bark which means that the plant has antibacterial property. The results of this study suggest that the Moringa oleifera root bark can be used as an antibacterial agent against infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli