Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Screening of Drumstick Leaves Extracts against Enteric Pathogens

The aim of the present study was to determine the antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening of Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaves extracts. Four solvents were used for extraction. Those were Ethanol, Methanol, Diethyl ether and Acetone. The solvent extraction was done by using Soxlet apparatus. Test microorganisms were screened to confirm their viability and identities using standard microbiological methods. The different solvent extracts of Drumstick leaves was tested for antimicrobial activity using the standard agar well diffusion method against nine enteric pathogens, these are E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi A, Salmonella paratyphi B, Shigella sonnei, Shigella dysentarie, Enterobactor spp. , Citrobactor spp. and Klebsiella spp. The Ethanol extract of Drumstick leaves showed highest antimicrobial activity against Sal. typhi. The Methanol extract of Drumstick leaves showed highest antimicrobial activity against Citrobactor spp. The Diethyl ether extract of Drumstick leaves showed highest antimicrobial activity against Shigella dysentarie while Acetone extract of Drumstick leaves showed highest antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The antimicrobial activity of standard antibiotics Ampicillin and Tetracycline were studied in comparison with Drumstick leaves solvent extracts. The MIC values were determined by both agar and broth dilution method. The functional chemical group was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The phytochemical analysis of Drumstick leaves solvent extracts showed presence of Alkaloid, Flavonoid, Glycosides, Tanin and Phenolic compounds, Terpenoid etc.