ABSTRACT

Turmeric is a well known indigenous herbal medicine having many biological activities against

microbes, diabetics, rheumatism, bodyache, skin disease, intestinal worms, and inflammatory

disorder. This study on tuimeric was conducted to determine its antibacterial activity. Different

concentrations of extiacts were prepared using two solvents water and methanol. To determine the

antibacterial activity of turmeric, various concentration of turmeric extract was tested against

Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using disc diffusion

method and agar well diffusion method and also by determining the minimum inhibitory

concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). According to the results the

methanol extract had the best inhibitory activity showing maximum zone of inhibition (ZI) of

16mm against Escherichia coli, 12mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 11mm against

Staphylococcus aureus while the aqueous extract 14mm, 12mm, 11mm against Escherichia coli

Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas spp respectively. The MIC and MBC value

determination was done using dilution method by diluting the extract to obtain different

concentrations: lOOmg/ml, 50 mg/ml, 25 mg/ml, 12.5 mg/ml and 6.25 mg/ml. The least inhibitory

concentration of the aqueous extract was 50mg/ml on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia

coli while the highest was 1 OOmg/ml on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The methanol extract had equal

inhibitory activity of 50mg/ml concentration for all the test organisms. Turmeric plant appears to

antimicrobial potential and may be of use to pharmaceutical industries