Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research

The seeds of Moringa oleifera were studied in this research to determine the phytochemicals present and assess the antibacterial activities of the seed extracts against some wound and enteric bacterial pathogens. The extracts of Moringa oleifera seeds were obtained. The phytochemical constituents of the extracts were evaluated, while the antibacterial efficacy of extracts (FMSE, FMSA and DMSE, DMSA) were tested against five bacterial organisms namely; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Salmonella typhi isolated from both wound and faeces of typhoid fever patients using agar diffusion technique (punch method). Two-fold tube dilution method was used for the Determination of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) was also ascertained. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of saponin, flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins. Both the aqueous and ethanolic extracts exhibited antibacterial effects against all the test organisms. DMSE at 500mg/ml had the inhibition zone of S. aureus as the highest (38.00^a) and that of E. coli and S. typhi as the lowest (10.00^b), while FMSE had the highest zone of inhibition to be 20.00^b against S. typhi and P. aeruginosa and the lowest zone of 14.00^b against E. coli. This study suggests that seed extracts of Moringa oleifera possess antibacterial properties. Ethanolic extracts were effective than aqueous extracts, meaning that the potency is solvent dependent. Dried seed extracts were more effective than fresh extracts. Inhibition of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms portrays this plant as a potential source of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The findings from this work suggest further purification of the constituents of the plant for the development of novel antibiotics.