Nutritional Properties and AntiMicrobial Activities of Root and Seed of Moringa Oleifera Against Some Clinical Isolates

ABSTRACT

The roots and seeds of Moringa oleifera were analysed for their nutritional, antinutritional and antimicrobial activities on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Streptococcus fecalis, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Quantitative phytochemical analysis showed the presence of 0.57% and 1.17% oxalates, 4.02% and 2.66% phytic acid, 1.92% and 3.99% alkaloid, 65.47 mg/100 g and 109.12 mg/100 g tanins for the roots and seeds respectively. Proximate analysis of Moringa root showed 14% crude protein, 2% fat, 5% ash, 23% crude fibre, 7% moisture, and 49% nitrogen free extract while the seed comprised 47% crude protein, 34% fat, 3% ash, 5% crude fibre, 7% moisture, and 2% carbohydrate. Chromatogram peaks of the technicon sequential Multi- sample amino acid Analyzer were used to obtain the amino acid profile of the roots and seeds of the plant material. Four extracts (ethanolic, methanolic, hot water and cold water extracts) each of the plant material were screened against the test isolates. The minimum bactericidal concentration, minimum bacteristatic concentration, concentrations of the plant extract that could inhibit 50% and 100% of the bacterial suspension (IC50 and IC100), of each extract was obtained for each test isolate. From the results, methanolic root extract had higher activity than most other extracts with its best and overall highest activity on Proteus mirabilis with a diameter of zone of inhibition of 22 mm, 18 mm, 14 mm, and 10 mm for 500 mg/ml, 250 mg/ml, 125 mg/ml and 62.5 mg/ml respectively. Comparatively, the root extracts performed higher than the seed extracts. The overall least activity was generally observed in the cold water seed extract and therefore had the least antimicrobial activity on the test isolates. Methanolic root extracts showed a higher activity than the control drugs on Escherichia coli with a zone of inhibition of 18 mm compared to the control drug (Gentamicin) with a diameter of zone of inhibition of 14mm. All the extracts showed no activity at 31.25mg/ml. It can be deduced that Moringa oleifera has both nutritional and antimicrobial properties and thus could have practical applications in the fight against diseases caused by microorganisms.

Keywords: Moringa Oleifera, Antimicrobial, Phytochemical Constituent, Proximate Analysis, Amino Acid Analysis, Methanolic Root Extract