ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF SIDER (ZIZIPHUS SPINA- CHRISTI), LEAVES EXTRACT AGAINST SELECTED PATHOGENIC BACTERIA.

Moodi Helal Al-Mutairi, *Dr. Sarah Ali, Dr. Salah Mesalhy Aly and Dr. YousefAldebasi

ABSTRACT

Background: Increased use of antibiotics, has led to high incidence of resistant bacterial strains infections and associated with increased side effects. Sider (Ziziphus spina- Christi) is a medicinal plant that has many uses in traditional medicine. Ethanol and methanol extracts of the leaves of Sider (Ziziphus spina- Christi) has been tested against selected bacterial strains. Materials and Methods: Sider leaves extract was used to evaluate the antimicrobial effects on eight different bacterial cultures, of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella sp., Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter sp. Ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the leaves of this plant were prepared. Undiluted neat solution (100mg/ml= 10,000mg/L), followed by concentration of 128, 100, 64, 32 and 16 mg per liter were prepared, from both extracts and antibacterial activities were evaluated by disc diffusion method on selected bacterial strains. Results: Ethanol and Methanol extract of sider leaves concentrations was found to be effective antibacterial agent against all the tested bacteria. These extracts had inhibitory effect at various concentration (128, 100, 64 and 32 mg per liter) The ethanolic extract had the highest activity (21 mm zone diameter), against Salmonella sp at 128 mg/L, while the lowest activity (9 mm) was demonstrated by the methanolic extract on Escherichia. coli at the same concentration. Highest Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the methanolic extract was shown by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, at (100 mg/L). Activity Index (A.I) value indicated a significant antibacterial activity, of Sider leaves extracts, against the tested bacterial species, compared to standard antibiotic discs against tested against the same. Conclusion: Sider leaves extract, had an inhibitory effect against all tested bacterial species. Also, the antibacterial effect of Sider extract, increased by increasing the concentration. The Activity index (A.I) also showed that the ethanolic extracts were more significant compared to the methanolic extracts. Sider leaves extracts were more significantly effective against all tested bacterial species, specifically Psuedomonas species, than the standard antibiotic discs.

Keywords: Sider (Ziziphus spina- Christi), Ethanolic Extract, Methanolic Extract, Disc diffusion method, Minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC).