Antimicrobial Evaluation of crude Extracts, Fractions and Oil from Monodora myristica Seeds (Gaertn.) Dunal

Obonga WO, Omeje EO*, Ocheme WG

Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, 410001, Nsukka Nigeria

Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 9(1): 18-23; June/July 2017

ABSTRACT
Monodora myristica is a tropical tree of the Annonacea family of flowering plants. M. myristica is popularly known as ehuru seeds by the Ibos. It is used as antimicrobial and anti-malarial remedies in Ibo-Nigeria folkloric medicine. This study was designed to ascertain the antimicrobial properties of extracts, fractions and oils from M. myristica seed. The anti-microbial screening was done using agar cup diffusion method against the organisms. The result of the antimicrobial screening shows that the extracts, fractions and oils were very sensitive against the organisms used. After 24 h incubation, the zone of inhibition of the oil against Escherichia coli (18 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (14 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18 mm) and Candida albicans (18 mm). The result compares favourably with the standard antibiotic, ciprofloxacin. The n-butanol fraction has the highest activity against Candida albicans (24 mm) very close to that of the standard nystatin (28 mm). In conclusion, the present findings support the ethnomedicinal uses of M. myristica seed as an antimicrobial agent.

KEYWORDS: Monodora myristica, antimicrobial, ciprofloxacin

Email of correspondence: edwin.omeje@unn.edu.ng