Evaluation of Antibacterial Efficacy and Antibiotic Synergy of Moringa oleifera Leaves Extracts Against Some Clinical Pathogenic Bacterial Strains
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63359/fezetn81Keywords:
Aqueous extract, Antimicrobial activity, Ethanolic extract, Medicinal plants, Moringa oleifera, Synergistic agentAbstract
The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria poses a significant threat of "incurable" infections, highlighting the urgent need for new infection-fighting strategies. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves against various bacterial pathogens and their potential synergistic effects with commonly used antibiotics. The results showed that the ethanolic extract significantly increased antibiotic sensitivity in several bacterial strains. Staphylococcus aureus displayed inhibition zones of 7 mm at a 5% concentration and 15 mm at a 40% concentration Additionally, Pseudomonas sp. exhibited inhibition zones ranging from 0 mm at 5% to 8 mm at 40%. In contrast, the aqueous extract demonstrated no antimicrobial activity, with 0 mm inhibition zones across all tested concentrations. Furthermore, the aqueous extract increased the sensitivity of S. aureus to antibiotics S10 and C30, indicating a synergistic effect, with p-values < 0.001. However, combinations with Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella, resulted in antagonistic effects, reducing antibiotic effectiveness. While the ethanolic extracts improved efficacy against S. aureus and were effective against Pseudomonas, they were ineffective against other Gram-negative bacteria, indicating limitations in their antimicrobial spectrum. Further research is needed to enhance the efficacy of Moringa extracts against a broader range of bacterial species. These findings suggest that Moringa oleifera has potential as a synergistic agent to boost antibiotic efficacy, but the antagonistic properties observed with certain pathogens highlight the need for careful application, as it may reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics against disease-causing bacteria.
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