ABSTRACT

The antimicrobial activities of methanol extract of Senna hiruta and Zea mays were investigated against two gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Enlerococcus /2iescalis (ATCC 7080) ,two gram negative bacteria Escherichia coil (ATCC 25922) and Pse udoponionas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) and Mycbacteriurn smegmatis (ATCC 14468). Staphylococus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Mycobacrerium smegmatis (ATCC 14468) were resistant to leaf extracts of both Senna hirsuta and Zea mays hence produced no zone of inhibition. The extract of Senna hirsulci produced 25mm zone of inhibition against Enterococcus fliecalis (ATCC 7080) at 100mg/mi concentration while extract of Zen inays produced 27mm zone of inhibition against the same bacterium at 1 00mg/mi. Extracts of Zea mays produced 20mm zone of inhibition against Escherichia coil (ATCC 25922) at 100mg/mi concentration while Senna hirsufa produced 1 4mm zone of inhibition against the same bacterium. The antibacterial activities of these plans in this study provide scientific validation for their uses in traditional medical practice.