Antimicrobial Activity And Proximate Composition Of Some Spices

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-microbial and proximate composition of sixteen different spices. The spices investigated were Monodora myristica, Coranarum sativum, Laurus nobilis, Curcuma longa, Piper guineese, Rosmarinus officinalis, Foeniculum villgare, Parinari excelsa, Chrysobalanus icaco, Zingiber, officinale, Trigonella foenum-gruecum, Cumin cyminum, Carum carvi, Rianodendum heudelotii, Afrostyrax lepidophylus and Afromomum subsericeum. The microorganisms used for the anti-microbial assay were seven clinical pathogens; Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis; two of these were used for disc diffusion assay and seven for the minimum inhibitory concentration. Proximate analysis result revealed the moisture content of the samples ranging between 10.24 – 24.67, dry matter 88.30 – 89.76, ash content 3.54 – 9.43, crude protein 7.52 – 17 18, fat 2.67 – 7.95, crude fibre 6.46 – 9.52, and carbohydrate 123.29 – 137.62. The antimicrobial screening revealed that all the spices used in this study have good antibiotic properties against the various bacteria pathogens tested with maximum inhibition observed in Parinari excelsa (24mm) and Cumin cyminum (24mm) in the disc diffusion assay and Curcuma longa (7.18μglml) in the MIC. The result of this study showed that all the selected spices contained reasonable amount of nutraceutical values which suggest the application of the seeds as supplementary sources of antimicrobial agents and essential nutrients.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ﾿ i

Declaration ﾿ ii

Certification ﾿ iii

Dedication ﾿ iv

Acknowledgements ﾿ v

Table of contents ﾿ vi

List of tables ﾿ xi

List of plates ﾿ xii

Abstract ﾿ xiii

CHAPTER ONE: INRODUCTION

1.1 ﾿ Background of the study ﾿ 1

1.2 ﾿ Objectives of study ﾿ 5

1.3 ﾿ Justification of the study ﾿ 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 ﾿ Spices ﾿ 7

2.2 ﾿ History of spices ﾿ 7

2.3 ﾿ Conventional classification of spices ﾿ 7

2.4 ﾿ Importance of spices ﾿ 8

2.5 ﾿ Potential nutraceutical ingredients from plant origin ﾿ 10

2.5.1 ﾿ Guinea pepper (Piper guineense) ﾿ 10

2.5.1.1 ﾿ Origin, habitat and distribution of P. guineense ﾿ 10

2.5.1.2 ﾿ Botany of the plant ﾿ 11

2.5.1.3 ﾿ Chemical composition ﾿ 11

2.5.1.4 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Piper guineense ﾿ 13

2.5.2 ﾿ African nutmeg (Monodora myristica) ﾿ 14

2.5.2.1 ﾿ Origin and Distribution ﾿ 14

2.5.2.2 ﾿ Botany of the plant ﾿ 14

2.5.2.3 ﾿ Chemical composition ﾿ 15

2.5.2.4 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of M. myristca ﾿ 15

2.5.3 ﾿ Ricinodendron heudelotii (Njasang) ﾿ 17

2.5.3.1 ﾿ Botany of the Plant ﾿ 17

2.5.3.2 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Ricinodendron heudelotii ﾿ 18

2.5.4 ﾿ Country onion (Afrostyrax lepidophyllus) ﾿ 18

2.5.4.1 ﾿ Chemical composition of the plant ﾿ 19

2.5.4.2 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Afrostyrax lepidophyllus ﾿ 19

2.5.5 ﾿ Coriandrum sativum Linn. (Coriander) ﾿ 20

2.5.5.1 ﾿ Origin and distribution of the plant ﾿ 20 ﾿

2.5.5.2 ﾿ Botany of the plant ﾿ 21

2.5.5.3 ﾿ Chemical constitutes of Coriander ﾿ 21

2.5.5.4 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Coriandrum sativum ﾿ 23

2.5.6 ﾿ Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum−graecum L.) ﾿ 23

2.5.6.1 Botany of the Plant ﾿ 25

2.5.6.2 Chemical compositions of Fenugreek ﾿ 25

2.5.6.3 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Fenugreek ﾿ 25

2.5.7 ﾿ Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) ﾿ 26

2.5.7.1 ﾿ Origin and Distribution ﾿ 27

2.5.7.2 ﾿ Botany and Description of the Plant ﾿ 27

2.5.7.3 ﾿ Chemical constituents ﾿ 28

2.5.7.4 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Cumin ﾿ 29

2.5.8 ﾿ Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) ﾿ 29

2.5.8.1 ﾿ Origin of the Plant ﾿ 30

2.5.8.2 ﾿ Botany of the Plant ﾿ 30

2.5.8.3 ﾿ Chemical Constituents of Ginger ﾿ 30

2.5.8.4 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Ginger ﾿ 31

2.5.9 ﾿ Tumeric (Curcuma longa L.) ﾿ 32

2.5.9.1 ﾿ Botany of the Plant ﾿ 32

2.5.9.2 ﾿ Chemical Constituents and Therapeutic Potentials of Turmeric ﾿ 33

2.5.9.3 ﾿ Nutraceutical values of Curcuma longa ﾿ 33

2.5.10 ﾿ Bayleaf (Laurus nobilis L.) ﾿ 34

2.5.10.1 Origin and Distribution ﾿ 35

2.5.10.2 Botany of the Plant ﾿ 35

2.5.10.3 Chemical Composition ﾿ 36

2.5.10.4 Nutraceutical values of L. nobils ﾿ 36

2.5.11 ﾿ Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) ﾿ 37

2.5.11.1 Chemical Composition ﾿ 37

2.5.11.2 Nutraceutical values of R. officinalis ﾿ 38

2.5.12 ﾿ Parinari excelsa ﾿ 39

2.5.12.1  Nutraceutical values of Parinari excelsa ﾿ 40

2.5.13 ﾿ Chrysobalanus icaco (Coco plum) ﾿ 40

2.5.13.1 Botany of the Plant ﾿ 41

2.5.13.2 Nutraceutical values of Chrysobalnus icaco ﾿ 41

2.5.14 ﾿ Caraway (Carum carvi) ﾿ 42

2.5.14.1 Origin and Distribution ﾿ 42

2.5.14.2 Botany of the Plant ﾿ 42

2.5.14.3 Chemical Composition ﾿ 43

2.5.14.4 Nutraceutical values of C. carvi ﾿ 43

2.5.15 ﾿ Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) ﾿ 44

2.5.15.1 Origin and Distribution ﾿ 45

2.5.15.2 Botany of the Plant ﾿ 45

2.5.15.3 Chemical Composition of Fennel ﾿ 46

2.5.15.4 Nutraceutical Value of Foeniculum vulgare ﾿ 47

2.5.16 ﾿ Afromomum subsericeum (Ataiko) ﾿ 48

2.5.16.1 Origin and distribution ﾿ 48

2.5.16.2 Botany ﾿ 48

2.5.16.3 Nutraceutical values of the plant ﾿ 48

2.6 ﾿ Antimicrobial susceptibility testing ﾿ 49

2.7 ﾿ Antimicrobial assays ﾿ 49

2.8 ﾿ Proximate analysis ﾿ 50

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS ﾿

3.1 ﾿ Sample collection and identification ﾿ 52

3.1.1 ﾿ Preparation of extracts ﾿ 52

3.1.2 ﾿ Collection of microorganisms ﾿ 52

3.2 ﾿ Evaluation of spices for antimicrobial activity ﾿ 53

3.2.1 ﾿ Preparation of stock/working solution ﾿ 53

3.2.2 ﾿ Preparation of test organism for susceptibility ﾿ 53

3.2.3 ﾿ Media preparation ﾿ 53

3.2.4 ﾿ Determination of antimicrobial activity of extracts (Disc Diffusion Method) ﾿ 54

3.2.5 ﾿ Determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ﾿ 54

3.3 ﾿ Proximate analysis ﾿ 54

3.3.1 ﾿ Determination of moisture content ﾿ 54

3.3.2 ﾿ Determination of crude fat ﾿ 55

3.3.3 ﾿ Determination of crude fiber content ﾿ 55

3.3.4 ﾿ Determination of crude protein content ﾿ 56

3.3.5 ﾿ Determination of ash content ﾿ 56

3.3.6 ﾿ Determination of carbohydrate content ﾿ 57

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

4.1 ﾿ Description and biological activities of plants used as spices obtained during 

survey ﾿ 58

4.2 ﾿ Antimicrobial activity of methanol spice extract of selected spices on two 

bacterial isolates ﾿ 60

4.3 ﾿ Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of methanolic spices extract against 

seven (7) bacterial pathogen ﾿ 63

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 68

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 68

5.3 ﾿ Recommendations ﾿ 68

References