Philippine E-Journals

Antibacterial Activity of the Combined Leaf Extracts of Moringa oleifera and Momordica charantia

Judee N. Nogodula | Orcheliza L. Paramo | Jesselle Marie D. Albienda | Inah Patricia F. Amiscua | Sheena Loraine P. Mendoza | Christianne Dolor A. Pua

 

Abstract:

Many infectious diseases are untreatable and uncontrollable due to increasing antibiotic resistance and thus considered a serious problem in health. This spurred the researchers to conduct this study focusing on the determination of the combined antimicrobial property of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Malunggay) and Momordica charantia Linn. (Ampalaya). M. oleifera leaf has been tested for its saponins and alkaloids while M. charantia has saponins only. Investigation of the functional group via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed that M. oleifera Lam. contained amines, amides, alcohol, phenol and carboxylic acid while M. charantia Linn possesses amine, amides, aromatic rings, heterocyclic amine, and unsaturated chain. Antimicrobial property was evaluated against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using disk diffusion method. Results show that the three concentrations were strong (>17mm) against B. cereus while combined extract of malunggay and ampalaya (1A:1M) and pure malunggay showed inhibitory activity of moderate (12-16mm) and weak (7-11 mm), respectively. In S. aureus, it inhibited moderately in pure ampalaya and (3A:1M) while weak inhibition in the remaining concentrations. MRSA showed strong inhibition in pure ampalaya, weak in pure malunggay and moderate in all combined concentrations. E. coli and P. aeruginosa showed weak inhibitory activity in all concentrations. One-Way (ANOVA) showed that there was an existing significant difference (p<0.05) on the mean zone of inhibitions among B. cereus, S. aureus and MRSA. Post Hoc test determined that pure ampalaya significantly differ at concentration 1A:3M against B. cereus, 1A:1M and 1A:3M towards MRSA and all remaining extracts do not differ significantly. The pure extract of malunggay significantly differs in all concentrations against B. cereus and MRSA only. Minimum inhibitory concentration of combined plant extracts, M. oleifera and M. charantia (1:1) and (1:3) was at 25,000μg/ ml of (1A:1M) plant concentration.