Abstract
The potassium ester (C11H23COO-K+) commonly known as African black soap was prepared by the action of palm kernel oil on cocoa pods. This was divided into four portions. Sample A contained the African Black soap without any modification, sample B was black soap modified with honey, sample C and sample D were modified with shear butter and coconut oil respectively. The pH, FTIR and phytochemical analyses of the samples were carried out. They were also screened for in-vitro antibacterial activities against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). The pH determinations showed that all the samples were alkaline in nature with sample A having the lowest pH of 8.90, while sample B had the highest pH of 9.58. FTIR analyses of sample A revealed strong bands assigned to the υ (C=O) frequency of a keto group at 1668 and 1560 cm-1 and a strong band at 1379 cm-1 assigned to the υ (C-O) frequency of the ester oxygen. The spectra of samples B, C and D showed no complexation through these oxygen donor atoms, but rather some interactions with other present molecules. Phytochemical analyses showed that samples A and D were rich in saponin, all the samples were rich in both flavonoids and terpenoids, while tannins and steroids were absent in all the samples. Antimicrobial studies showed that only sample B was active against Staphylococcus aureus, while samples A, C and D were inactive against all tested microorganisms.Keywords: Additives, African Black Soap, Phytochemical and Antimicrobial
Highlights
The traditional African Black soap which has in combination, water, roasted plantain skin or cocoa pod, palm oil, palm kernel oil, or Shea butter, when put together, are collectively referred to as “black soap”
African Black soap or black soap is a natural source of vitamin A and E, and iron (Grieve, 1997)
Black soap made with Shea butter offers protection against UV rays while black soap made with plantains contains a high concentration of iron along with vitamins A and E (Treehugger, 2008)
Summary
Chemical: Palm kernel oil was purchased from the local market, while cocoa pods were locally sourced for at a town called Ifeodan, Osun State, Nigeria. 5 ml of palm kernel oil was added to the soap and heated for 5 minutes to soften it after which the soft soap was allowed to cool at room temperature. Antimicrobial Test : 15.2 g of Mueller Hinton agar was measured into a 500 ml conical flask, 400 ml of distilled water was added and mixed/shaken till it dissolved, it was covered with cotton wool, and aluminum foil paper and labeled. It was autoclaved at a temperature of 121 oC for 15 minutes. Zones of inhibition were measured in mm (Bauer et al, 1966, Balogun and Owoseni., 2013)
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