Wide spectrum antibacterial activity of Nigella Sativa L. seeds

Abstract

Crude extracts of Nigella sativa L. (black cumin) seeds were tested in varying dilutions against strains of Bacillus cereus 2156, B. subtilis 2920, Escherichia coli 2065, Staphylococcus epidermidis 2493, Klebsiella pneumoniae 2957, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 5029, Salmonella typhmurium 2501, Enterobacter aerogens 5139 using agar well diffusion technique in swabbed Muellar Hinton agar plates under standard laboratory conditions. Extract in ethanol and n-hexane showed remarkable dose dependant antibacterial activity against the tested strains as evident from the zones of inhibition. No activity of the extract was observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa 5029 and Enterobacter aerogens 5139. The most sensitive strain was S. epidermidis. No cross resistance was noticed with any of the tested antibiotics.