Antibacterial Effects Of Aframomum Melegueta On Some Enterobacteriaceae Organisms

ABSTRACT

 The antibacterial effects of methanol, ethanol and water extracts of Aframomum melegueta seeds were investigated on Enterobacteriaceae organisms such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi and Shigella sp. The organisms tested showed varying dcgrecs of sensitive to the various extracts respectively. The aqueous extracts was found to be the least active when compared with the ethanol and methanol extracts, which had comparable inhibitory effects. The ethanol extract had higher zones of inhibition on the organisms in the following order, E.coli (21.5mm), Shigella sp (17mm), S.typhi-(11.5) and Krpneumoniae (9.00). The methanol extract also inhibited the organisms in the following order, S.typhi (15mm), E.coli 3.5mm), Shigella sp (12mm). This work has shown that the seeds of Aframomum melegueta posses active ingredients that may be exploited for the development of antimicrobials and alternative treatment for infections of diseases caused by these organisms tested.