Harvesting time and temperature relationship with antimicrobial activity of Moringa oleifera Lam (Drum stick)

Harvesting time and temperature relationship with antimicrobial activity of Moringa oleifera Lam (Drum stick)

2014

E09462

The effect of harvesting time and temperature on the antimicrobial potency of Moringa oleifera Lam. (drum stick) leaf of the family Moringaceae and it’s phytochemical constituents were determined against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi using the agar well diffusion technique and qualitative phytochemical analysis method respectively. The aqueous leaf extracts were found to contain phenol, alkaloid, tannin and saponins. The plant leaf extract had activity against the test organisms regardless of the harvesting time and processing temperature. S. aureus was found to be more susceptible with mean zone of inhibition of 19.6±2.08, 21.0±2.64, 21.6±3.21 and 19.3±5.13 at all processing temperature and harvesting time as compared to S. typhi with lower mean zones of inhibition of 11.0±2.0, 11.0±1.0, 10.3±1.53 and 10.3±2.51. Leaf extract from the 2 pm maceration, 2 pm decoction and 5 am decoction had the lowest MIC (25 mg/ml) against S. typhi and S. aureus respectively while extracts from the 2 pm maceration and 2 pm decoction had the highest MBC against S. typhi. The effect of harvesting time and processing temperature is less significant for M. oleifera leaf against the test organisms. Notwithstanding, harvesting time and processing temperature should be of consideration in research on herbal drugs.

2(3):33-37, PEAK JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL PLANT RESEARCH

Research > Published Articles