In-vitro antibacterial activity of crude leaf extracts of Withania somnifera and Moringa oleifera against some selected bacterial pathogens Sebaro Denebo1, Moorthy Krishna Sivalingam2,*, Tora Asfaw2, Senapathy M.3,** 1Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wachemo University, Post Box No. 667, Hossana, Ethiopia 2Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wolaita Sodo University, Post Box No. 138, Wolaita, Sodo, Ethiopia 3Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Wolaita Sodo University, Post Box No. 138, Wolaita, Sodo, Ethiopia *Corresponding authors e-mail: skrish.microbiologist@gmail.com
**drsenapathy@wsu.edu.et
Online published on 26 December, 2023. Abstract In the present study, two types of solvents (methanol and distilled water) of leaf extraction of Moringa oleifera and Withania somnifera were tested for antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity results showed that the crude leaf extracts prepared from methanol and water as solvent had antibacterial activities against selected human bacterial pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis were more sensitive, while Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were more resistant to the extracts tested in the study. S. aureus was seen as the most sensitive to both extracts, with the highest zone of inhibition. The methanolic extract of M. oleifera had a greater zone of inhibition than the methanolic extract of W. somnifera against all tested pathogens at all concentrations. In the present study, MIC values of methanolic extract of M. oleifera fluctuated from 0.625 - 2.5 mg/mL, but, for methanolic extract of W. somnifera ranged from 0.625 - 5 mg/ml. Aqueous extracts of M. oleifera ranged from 1.25 mg/mL - 2.5 mg/ml and W. somnifera from 1.25 - 10 mg/ml. Results for the qualitative analysis of major secondary metabolites showed that both plants had tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids except free sugar, which was absent in both aqueous and methanol extracts of W. somnifera. Therefore, the present study has concluded that the medicinal plants M. oleifera and W. somnifera may help discover new drugs that could serve as a medicine for drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Top Keywords Medicinal plants, Crude extract, Antibacterial activity, Agar well diffusion, Phytochemicals. Top |