A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF FLUTED PUMPKIN LEAF (TELFARIA OCCIDENTALIS) AND WATER LEAF (TALINUM TRIANGULARE) AGAINST ENTERIC BACTERIAL ISOLATES.

This study aims to compare the antimicrobial activity of two commonly consumed Nigerian plants, Telfairia occidentalis (Fluted Pumpkin) and Talinum triangulare (Water Leaf), against enteric bacterial isolates, specifically Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Both plants are traditionally used for their medicinal properties, and this research seeks to evaluate their potential as natural alternatives to conventional antibiotics, especially in the face of growing antibiotic resistance.The objectives of the study include extracting plant compounds using hot water and ethanol via the maceration extraction method, determining the antimicrobial potency of the extracts, calculating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for both plants, and comparing the efficacy of the extracts against the selected bacteria.In the methodology, plant extracts were prepared from dried leaves of both plants, followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the agar well diffusion and paper disc diffusion methods. The results showed that both plant extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. However, Talinum triangulare (Water Leaf) demonstrated greater antimicrobial efficacy, especially in ethanolic extracts, with higher zones of inhibition compared to Telfairia occidentalis (Fluted Pumpkin). The MIC values indicated that Water Leaf was effective at lower concentrations compared to Fluted Pumpkin, suggesting stronger antibacterial properties. Furthermore, the MBC results confirmed that both plants possess bactericidal properties, but Water Leaf proved more potent at a wider range of concentrations.The study concludes that Talinum triangulare shows superior antimicrobial activity against the selected enteric bacteria, making it a promising natural alternative to antibiotics. It is recommended that further research be conducted to isolate and identify the active bioactive compounds in these plants, and clinical trials should be initiated to assess their safety and efficacy in treating bacterial infections. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating indigenous knowledge into modern medicine, particularly for combating antibiotic-resistant infections.