Antimicrobial Effects of Spices Indigenous to South Eastern Nigeria on Some Test Pathogenic: Bacteria (E.coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Bacillus sp.)

The aqueous and ethanol extracts of four spices (Monodora myristica, Piper guineense, Detarium microcarpun, Tetrapleura tetraptera) were prepared and the antibacterial properties assessed using the agar diffusion method. The test organisms were E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Bacillus sp. The susceptibility of the test bacteria strains to various antibiotics was performed. The aqueous extracts had antimicrobial activities on all test organisms used (MIC values of 30-60mg/ml and a range of inhibition, 10-25mm). The ethanol extracts were less sensitive. The phytochemical screening of the potent extracts revealed the presence of terpenoids, flavonoid and glycosides. The test organisms showed susceptibility to majority of the antibiotics used ranging from an average of 10mm-37mm. The aqueous extracts can be used as an alternative therapy to the use of antibiotics as the zones of inhibition exhibited by the test strains to both were comparable.