Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Moringa oleifera leaves extract on Helicobacter pylori

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves on H. pylori. Disc diffusion method as described by Kirby-Bauer was used to determine the antimicrobial activity of the extracts which were compared with that of the standard antibiotics. The susceptibility profiles of H. pylori isolates were determined using standard antibiotics, aqueous and methanol extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves. Out of 487 positive isolates (75.73%), 350 (71.87%) were sensitive to Clarithromycin with 30mm mean zone of inhibition, 304 (62.42%) were sensitive to Tetracycline (27mm), 266 (54.62%) to Amoxicillin (28mm), 173 (35.52%) to Metronidazole (25mm), while all isolates were resistant to Ciprofloxacin. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of aqueous Moringa oleifera leave extracts ranged from 0.035µg/ml to 0.05µg/ml with MBC of 0.0425µg/ml while the MIC of methanol extract ranged from 0.0425µg/ml to 0.05µg/ml with MBC of 0.0425. These results clearly suggest that Moringa oleifera leaves act as potent growth inhibitor of H. pylori.