Antimicrobial Activity Of Crude Leaf Extract Of Carica Papaya (Paw Paw)

ABSTRACT 

The antimicrobial activity of the crude leaf extract of Carica papaya on some human pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Escherichia coli) were carried out using agar well diffusion method. The bioactive compounds of the leaf was extracted using Water and Ethanol. The aqueous and ethanol extract were tested at 200mg/ml, 100mg/ml, and 50mg/ml concentration on the bacterial isolates. The result showed that only the ethanolic extract were effective in inhibiting all the test organism. Pseudomonas aeroginosa had the highest susceptibility to the ethanolic extract at 200mg/ml with a zone of inhibition of 15.5mm and Escherichia coli had the least susceptibility at 200mg/ml with a zone of inhibition of 7.0mm. The test organisms had a higher susceptibility to the standard antibiotic levofloxacin than the leaf extract. Demonstration of the antimicrobial activity on the isolates is an indication that there is a possibility of sourcing for an alternative antibiotic substance in this plant for the development of newer antibacterial agents. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgements ﾿ iv

Table of Contents ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ vii

List of Figures ﾿ viii

Abstract ﾿ ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.1   Introduction ﾿ 1

1.2    Aim and Objectives ﾿ 3

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review ﾿ 5

2.1     Antimicrobial Agents ﾿ 5

2.2     Plant As Source Of Antimicrobial Agents ﾿ 6

2.3     Plants Product As Therapeutic Agentse ﾿ 8

2.4     Carica papaya ﾿ 9

2.4 1  The Plant Family-  Caricaceae ﾿ 10

2.4.2  Botanic Description ﾿ 11

2.4.3  Constituent of different parts of Carica Papaya ﾿ 12

2.4.4  Medicinal uses of  each  Division  of  Carica Papaya ﾿ 13

2.5     Phytochemical constituents of  Carica papaya  ﾿ 16

2.5.1   Alkaloids ﾿ 17

2.5.2   Flavonoids ﾿ 19

2.5.3   Glycoside ﾿ 20

2.5.4   Tannins ﾿ 21

2.5.5   Saponins ﾿ 23

2.6      Pharmacology of Carica papaya ﾿ 24

2.7 ﾿ Antioxidant Properties of Carica papaya ﾿ 25

2.8 ﾿ Antimicrobial properties of Carica papaya ﾿ 26

CHAPTER THREE

Materials And Methods ﾿ 28

3.1.  Sterilization of Materials ﾿ 28

3.2  Collection of Plant Materials ﾿ 28

3.3   Preparation of Plant Material ﾿ 28

3.4   Collection and Maintenance of Test Organisms ﾿ 29

3.5   Standardization of Test Organisms ﾿ 29

3.6   Preparation of The Stock Solution Of The Extract ﾿ 29

3.7   Antimicrobial Assay of Extracts ﾿ 30

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0   Results ﾿ 31

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1  Discussion ﾿ 35

5.2   Conclusion ﾿ 36

References ﾿ 38