COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECT OF GINGER,GARLIC AND TURMERIC ON STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
Abstract
This study compared the antibacterial effects of aqueous (water-based) and ethanol (alcohol-based)extracts of fresh garlic, ginger, and turmeric against Staphylococcus aureus from clinical samples.Plant materials underwent standardized cold maceration using sterile distilled water and 95% ethanol.Antibacterial activity was assessed via agar well diffusion assay to measure zones of inhibition (ZOI).Ciprofloxacin served as the positive control, while sterile water acted as the negative control. All six extracts (garlic aqueous, garlic ethanol, ginger aqueous, ginger ethanol, turmeric aqueous, turmeric ethanol) demonstrated varying antibacterial activity, confirming their inherent antimicrobial potential.Garlic extracts showed superior potency compared to ginger and turmeric,regardless of solvent.Ethanol extracts generally outperformed aqueous ones. Garlic ethanol extract yielded the largest ZOI (mean: 16.93 mm) compared to its aqueous counterpart (mean: 14.93 mm). Ginger ethanol extract showed a mean ZOI of 13.10 mm versus 12.90 mm for aqueous. Turmeric ethanol extract produced 11.27 mm, slightly less than its aqueous form (11.93 mm), indicating plant-specific solvent efficiency.Statistical analysis using One-Way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD confirmed significant differences in antimicrobial efficacy among plant types and between solvents for each plant. Findings suggest that ethanol extraction more effectively concentrates non-polar bioactive compounds,particularly in garlic. This study concludes that garlic, especially in ethanol extract form, possesses notable antimicrobial properties against S. aureus and may serve as a potential natural alternative in managing bacterial infections.
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