In vitro Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Moringa oleifera Lam. Extracts against Pathogens Causing Wound Infection

A break or wound in the skin makes a favourable environment for the invasion of bacterial pathogens. Variety of Gram positive and Gram-negative organisms cause wound infection. Conventional drugs have been used to treat them, but their overuse has led to an increase in development of MDR pathogens. Thus, it has become the need of the hour to develop newer drugs to treat them preferably without the pathogens developing resistance against them. Moringa oleifera Lam. has been used since ages for treating various diseases. It is a rich source of variety of phytochemicals and can serve as a potential therapeutic agent. Wound pathogens were isolated from samples collected from open wound lesions of patients from Central hospital, Ulhasnagar. Pathogens were isolated and identified on the basis of Bergey's manual. Presence of MDR was confirmed by antibiotic Disc diffusion test. The leaves bark and seeds of Moringa oleifera Lam. were used to prepare acetone and aqueous extracts. In vitro antimicrobial activity was evaluated qualitatively by Agar ditch plate method and quantitatively by Agar dilution method. Among the isolates there was a high prevalence of Gram-negative pathogens (70%). Staphylococcus spp. were predominant in Gram positive isolates (20%). Of total isolates, 20% were MDR pathogens. There was high amount of glycosides present in different extracts of Moringa oleifera Lam. followed by tannins and flavonoids in both acetonic and aqueous extracts. The aqueous leaf extract had broad spectrum and the highest antibacterial activity.