Phytochemical and antibacterial properties of garlic extracts

The antibacterial potency of aqueous and methanol extracts of garlic was determined invitro against three bacterial isolates (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) by agar well  diffusion method. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannin, flavonoid, carbohydrate, protein, saponin, alkaloid and glycoside in the plants while anthraquinone was absent. Both the aqueous and methanol extract of garlic were observed to be more potent against E. coli with maximum zone of growth inhibition of 21.5mm at 200mg/ml and 24.0mm at 200mg/ml respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the aqueous and methanol extracts of garlic against E. coli was 100mg/ml and 50mg/ml respectively, and for S. aureus it was 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml respectively. Similarly, The MIC against Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the aqueous and methanol extracts was 200mg/ml and 200mg/ml respectively. Higher minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 300mg/ml was observed against P. aeruginosa with aqueous extract and 250mg/ml with the methanol extract. The MBC for both the aqueous and methanol extract was 200mg/ml respectively against E. coli while MBC of 300mg/ml was observed against S. aureus for the aqueous extract and 200mg/ml for the methanol extract. These findings therefore justify the traditional medicinal use of garlic.Keywords; Phytochemical, Antibacterial, Efficacy, Garlic, Isolates

Antibiotics Susceptibility Pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Wounds in Patients Attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria

This work investigated the prevalence and antibiotics sensitivity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from wounds of patients attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria-Nigeria. One hundred Isolates were characterized and identified from the specimens using standard microbiological methods. The results of the isolation and identification showed that 55(55%) were Gram-negative organisms and 44 (44%) were Gram-positive. Klebsiella species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounted for 25% of the Gramnegative organisms, followed by Proteus species 19%, Klebsiella species 14% and Escherichia coli accounts for 11%, while Staphylococcus aureus 44% was the predominant Gram-positive organism. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern was determined using the disc diffusion method where the susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in wounds was observed. The highest sensitivity was observed for ofloxacin, moderate susceptibility was observed for ampicillin, cefuroxime and ceftriazone. The results obtained indicated strong resistance to cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin tetracycline and augmentin. There is the need for routine antibiotic sensitivity check

Antimicrobial Activity of Sabulun Salo a Local Traditional Medicated Soap

The antimicrobial activity of Sabulun salo; a local traditional medicated soap widely used by different tribes in Nigeria such as Hausa, Yoruba and Nupe against skin infections was examined against some clinical isolates of pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans) using agar dilution method. The pattern of inhibition varied with the soap concentration and the organisms tested. The soap was more effective on S. aureus with maximum zone of growth inhibition of 28 mm at 100% w/v followed by C. albicans (24mm). However, E. coli was resistant to the soap at all concentrations tested. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was found to be 12.5% w/v for both S. aureus and C. albicans. The antibacterial activities exhibited by sabulun salo in this study could be attributed to the presence of its constituents which signifies the potential of the soap as a of topical therapeutic agent. These findings therefore, justify the traditional medicinal use of sabulun salo