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ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial activity of (Aframomum melegueta) was tested on Psuedomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Ethanol and Aqueous extract of the plant were applied on the test organisms. Only the ethanolic extract was found to be effective at concentration of 3g/ml on all the isolates. The zones of inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas spp. were 9.2mm, 4.4mm, 4.2mm, 3.8mm and 3.4mm respectively with ethanolic extract. The aqueous extract was found to be ineffective as there were no zones of inhibition on any of the tested microorganisms. The zone of inhibition indicated by Aframomum melegueta compared to previous review is an indication that it can be used as antimicrobial agent against these members of enterobactericeae family tested.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE:………………………………………………………………….i
DECLARATION:……………………………………………………………………………ii
CERTIFICATION:……………………………………………………………….…………iii
DEDICATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v
ABSTRACT vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS viii
LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………….x
LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………..xi
CHAPTER ONE 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY 3
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 4
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES 5
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 6
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 7
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS 7
CHAPTER TWO 8
2.O LITERATURE REVIEW 8
2.1 COMPOSITON 12
2.2 DISTRIBUTION AND PROPAGATION 13
2.3 ALLIGATOR PEPPER AND CULTURE 16
2.4 USES OF ALLIGATOR PEPPER 17
2.5 ANTIFEEDANT, REPELLANT AND INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITIES OF ALLIGATOR PEPPER 19
2.6 SIDE EFFECTS OF ALLIGATOR PEPPER 21
2.7 PEST AND DISEASES 22
CHAPTER THREE 23
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHOD 23
3.1 COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF SAMPLE 23
3.2 STERILIZATION 24
3.3 EXTRACTION PROCEDURE 25
3.4 PREPARATION OF CULTURE MEDIA 25
3.5 BACTERIAL TEST STRAINS 26
3.6 RECONSTITUTION OF EXTRACT 26
3.7 ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING FOR RECONSTITUTED EXTRACT 27
CHAPTER FOUR 28
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 28
4.1 RESULTS 28
4.2 DISCUSSION 30
4.3 SUMMARY 32
CHAPTER FIVE 33
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 33
5.1 CONCLUSION 33
5.2 RECOMMENDATION 34
REFERENCES:…………………………………………………………………………..35
APPENDIX I 40
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The use of higher plants and their extracts to treat infections is an age old practice in traditional medicine. Traditional medical practice has been known for centuries in many parts of the world. About 80% of the world’s population depends wholly or partially on traditional medicine for its primary health care needs (Kumar and Adhikari, 2005). The term traditional medicine is interchangeable used with herbal medicine and natural medicine (Hazan and Atta, 2005). Since antiquity man has used plants to treat common infection diseases and even long before mankind discovered the existence of microbes, the idea that certain plants had healing potential was well accepted (Rios and Recio, 2005). A medicinal plant is any plant which in one or more of its organs, contains substance that can be used for therapeutic purpose or which are precursors for the synthesis of useful drugs. A number of plants have been used in traditional medicine for many years due to their antimicrobial properties (Sofowora, 1993).
Specifically, the medicinal value of these plants lies in some chemical substances that produce a definite physiological action on the human or animal body (Edeoga et al., 2005). The most important of the bioactive constituents which are mainly secondary metabolites are alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and phenolic compounds and so many others. These phytochemicals are toxic to microbial cells.
Alligator Pepper (Aframomum melegueta) is a tropical herbaceous perenial plant of the genus Aframomum belonging to the family Zingiberaceae (ginger family) of the angiosperms in the kingdom plantae. The seeds have pungent peppery taste due to aromatic ketones (Galal, 1996 Tackie et al., 1975). It is a plant with both medicinal and nutritive value found commonly in rain forest. The phytochemicals obtained from the seed of A. melegueta has been used for years in the treatment of infectious diseases. The grains of Aframomum melegueta possesses active ingredients that may be exploited for local development of antimicrobials (Oyegade, 1999). The presence of phenolic compounds in the seed of A. melegueta indicates that this plant is an antimicrobial agents and this is because phenols and phenolic compounds have been extensively used in disinfections and remain the standard with which other bactericides are compared (Okwu, 2001) Extracts from the seed of Aframomum melegueta has potent antiseptic or bactericidal properties, have therefore been used in treating wounds and prevention of infections (Okwu, 2004). Seed extract of A. melegueta contains phytochemicals which offer an enormous potential as biocontrol agent of pathogens and a source of antimicrobial agents of therapeutic importance. In view of the fore mentioned properties the search for alternative means for combating bacteria disease in plants will be embarked upon in this work. Hence, this study is undertaken to ascertain the antimicrobial property of the seed extract.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Ethnomedicinal use of plants is one of the most successful tools used in pharmaceutical industry searching new therapeutic agents for various yields of biomedicine. Biologically, active compound like alkaloids, phenolic compounds, saponins, flavonoids and many others, with known antioxidant and antibacterial properties can be of great significance in therapeutic treatments. These raise the interest of researchers to further investigate seed of A. melegueta since it has been reported to possess some medicinal values.
This research will be conducted therefore to study the antimicrobial analysis of the seeds of A. melegueta on some microbial species. The seed will be ground and extracted with ethanol and the ethanol extract of these seeds will be screened against Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas spp, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus for its efficacy.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Microbial pathogenicity and other infectious diseases have been controlled by the use of commercially available antimicrobial drugs. Since last many years the increasing reliance on drug from natural source has lead to the extraction and development of several drugs and chemotherapeutic agents from traditional herbs, plants and crops which are present in abundance in tropic (Duke, 1992). Tremedous use of antibiotics has developed multiple drugs resistance (MDR). In many bacterial pathogens the increasing drug resistance is the main hindrance in successful treatment of infectious diseases and the control of microbial pathogenicity. This study will be undertaken to evaluate the antimicrobial analysis of Alligator Pepper (Aframomum melegueta) seeds of Bori metropolis on some microbial species, which may be developed into new, safer and more efficacious agents to combat serious microbial infections.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the present study is to determine the antimicrobial properties of Alligator pepper on some microorganisms with the following objectives:
To carryout extraction of the active ingredients of Alligator Pepper seed using water and ethanol.
Evaluating the differential antimicrobial effect of the seed extract on different microorganisms.
To carryout sensitivity test using known bacterial clinical isolates.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The outcome of this research will be useful to all communities. Pharmacological industries and traditionalist using this seed since they will be the first beneficiaries.
1. The result will educate local users on scientific validation for the use of this plant for antibacterial activity to promote proper conservation and sustainable activity of the plant resources.
2. It will be useful to pharmaceutical companies in order for them to appreciate the benefits, the local users and most communities will be exposed to and the need to gives adequate orientation and advice on planting of these herbs.
3. It will also be useful to pharmaceutical companies to support the folk usages of the study plant.
4. It will create awareness to local communities to enhance the traditional knowledge with scientific findings.
5. It will also help to encourage further research and technology so as to develop and formulate appropriate dosage from the plant.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study will be specifically centered and limited to the antimicrobial analysis to the seed of Alligator Pepper (Aframomum melegueta) on some microbial species.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
ANTIMICROBIAL ANALYSIS: This is the principle of using antimicrobial agents to kill or inhibit the growth of micro organisms.
ALLIGATOR PEPPER: (Aframomum melegueta) Alligator Pepper is a tropical African Zingiberaceous plant, Aframomum melegueta having red or orange spicy seed capsules. It is also known as (Grains of paradise), is a herb where the seeds have traditional usage mostly as a pungent spice to season foods with. This herb is botanically in the same family as Ginger.
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