SYNERGISTIC ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM) AND HONEY (APIS MELLIFERA) ON SOME PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

In Nigeria, honey produced by honey bees in combination with garlic is widely used for traditional treatment of different infections in the local communities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the synergic antibacterial effect of honey and garlic mixture against some clinical pathogenic bacteria. The antibacterial activity of garlic extract, honey and mixture of honey and garlic extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniaea as well as Salmonella typhi (clinical isolates) were determined by agar well diffusion method. The results obtained shows that the inhibition zones of mixture of garlic extract and honey against all tested pathogens was significantly greater than garlic extract and honey alone. The diameters of zone of inhibitions against all tested pathogens ranged from 25 to 35 mm for mixture of garlic extract and honey as compared with 10 to 30 mm for standard antibiotics. There was no significant difference in Minimum Inhibitory Concentration and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration of all antimicrobial substances against the tested Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria. Therefore mixture of garlic extract and honey has the potential of a broad spectrum of activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that leads to a new choice for the treatment of commonly encountered infectious diseases. In vivo study using model animals is recommended come up with comprehensive conclusion for further applications.