Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE ETHANOLIC AND AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PASSION FRUIT (PASSIFLORA EDULIS SIMS), IN THE ABSENCE AND PRESENCE OF Zn(OAc)2.2H2O.

R. C. Jagessar*, A. Hafeez, M. Chichester and Y. Crepaul

ABSTRACT

The aqueous and ethanolic extract of mature passion fruit in the absence and presence of transition metal salts were subjected to antimicrobial studies using the Disc Diffusion Assay under aseptic conditions. From the ethanolic extract, a white solid crystallised out and its antimicrobial activity was investigated. The highest AZOI of 268.7 mm2 was induced by sample 9 against S. aureus. The lowest AZOI of 21.6 mm2 was induced by sample 6 against C. albicans. These quoted AZOI are exclusive of the reference AZOI. For the non-metal solution, the highest AZOI of inhibition was induced by the aqueous solution (0.026g/ml) against P. aeruginosa i.e P. aeruginosa was more susceptible. There seems to be an increased in antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic fruit extract as the concentration increases. For the aqueous extract of the white isolate, an increase in concentration generally resulted in a decrease in antimicrobial potency. Interestingly, there seems to be an increase in antimicrobial activity of the aqueous solution of the white ethanolic isolate in the presence of Zn (OAc).2H2O salt against pathogens in some cases and a decrease in another instance. Selective antimicrobial activity was observed for the fruit extracts in the presence and absence of Zn(OAc)2.2H2O. For all experiments conducted, antimicrobial activity seems to be less than that of the standard antibiotics: Ampicillin and Nystatin.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims), Area of Zone of Inhibition, AZOI, asceptic conditions, E.coli, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and C. albicans