Antimicrobial Activities of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Garlic (Allium Sativum) Against Selected Pathogenic Organisms

Abstract

Garlic and ginger samples were collected and their bio active components were determined using standard methods. Bio active components of ginger were found to include Saponins, Glycosides, Akaloids, Flavonoids, Tannis, Terpernoides while garlic tested positive to only Cardiac glycosides. Pseudomonas aueroginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus were the test organisms. Antimicrobial activities were tested on Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Staphyloccus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeroginosa using Antibiotic sensitivity disc and zone of clearance was highest with Ciprofloxacin but resistant with Meropenem and Cefuroxime sodium respectively. Kirby- Baucer method disc diffusion method was used to test the effectiveness of extracts against selected pathogenic bacteria. Pseudomonas aueroginosa was susceptible to various dilutions (10^-1 – 10^-7) of extracts of ginger and ethanol (51 – 15mm) but more susceptible to extracts of garlic and ethanol (59 – 22mm) and resistant to some dilutions of extracts of garlic and ginger in combination (18 – 0mm). Staphylococcus aureus was susceptible to garlic and ethanolic extracts (44 – 19mm), more susceptible to extracts of ginger and garlic in ethanol (51 – 19mm) but resistant to some dilutions of aqueous and ethanolic ginger extracts. Klebsiella pneumonia was resistant to both aqueous and ethanolic extracts at various dilutions singly and in combination. It is however susceptible to the extracts at 10^-1 dilutions except in ginger warm aqueous extract and garlic cold aqueous extract where it is resistant. The study therefore prove the potency of ginger and garlic in treatment of certain pathogenic bacteria infections.

Keywords: Pathogenic, garlic, ginger, extracts, zone of clearance.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/12-24-01

Publication date: December 31^st 2022