INVITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF NEEM (AZADIRACHTA INDICA) LEAVES EXTRACT

Abstract

Aqueous and Ethanolic Leaves extract of Neem were subjected to invitro antibacterial assay against human pathogenic Escherichia coli, Proteus spp, Kleibsiella and Pseudomonas using well diffusion method. All the the extract that is Neem leaves extract (NLE) and Ethanolic Neem leaves extract (ENLE) were found to have antibacterial activities (inhibitory effect) against against all the tested organisms at a concentration of 20mg/ml except that Proteus is resistant to ENLE at that concentration. The largest zone of inhibition (11mm) with ANLE against Pseudomonas. Furthermore, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was carried out on the positive tests, turbidity were abserved for at various dilutions of the extract, it was found that turbidity occur at lower concentration of the extracts, this may be due to lower concentration of the extract. Lower concentration of extract means lower concentration of active elements in the solutions. The MIC value for ANLE on Escherichia coli was 100mg/ml, Kleibsiella 25 (mg/ml), Proteus and Pseudomonas were 50mg/ml. The MIC for ENLE on Proteus was more than the concentration used, for Kleibsiella 100mg/ml and Pseudomonas 50mg/ml. The minimum bacterial count (MBC) was determined from broth dilutions test resulting from the MIC as described by Vollekova et Al (2001), Usman et al (2005) and growth was observed at lower concentration of the extract which confirms the result of the mic.

Keywords; Neem, Aqueous, Ethanolic, Leaves, Extract