Antimicrobial Effects of Bitter Kola (Garcinia Kola) Nut on Staphylococcus Aureus, Eschererichia Coli and Candida Alibicans

Abstract

This study was conducted to test for the antimicrobial effect of Bitter kola nut (Garcinia kola) on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Garcinia kola seed (nut) were collected from Main market Abakaliki (Abakpa market) and carried to microbiology laboratory complex of Ebonyi State University for laboratory analysis. The Garcinia seed (nut) were dehusked and cut into piece, air dried and grinded into powdered form and 100g each was extracted with 95 % aqueous ethanol, cold and hot water in 500 ml in the ratio of 1:5 (W/V) at room temperature for 24 hours and filtered with Muslin filter cloth. The mixture was filtered in a flat plate and air dried at room temperature. The crude extract was dissolved with Dimethyl Sulphoxide and carried to serial dilution (2 fold serial dilutions). A total of three microbial organism bacteria (staphylococcus and Escherichia coli) and fungi (Candida albicans) obtained from laboratory was screened using biochemical and microbiological standard. The isolates were further tested for susceptibility testing using Muller-Hinton agar by agar well diffusion method. The result of susceptibility test revealed that the garcinia kola extract yielded the highest inhibition zone diameter of 21 mm and 20 mm at 100 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml in ethanol against Staphylococcus aureus while in Candida albicans at 100 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml recorded (20 mm) and (20 mm) in ethanol solvent. The study also revealed that Garcinia kola nut was best extracted with ethanol solvent. It also enhances the bioactive compound or component of the plants. Therefore in this study, Garcinia kola extracts could be used by the pharmaceutical industries to produce drugs that can cure or prevent infectious disease.