ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL AND N HEXANE OF SEEDS EXTRACT OF MORMODICA CHARANTIA AGAINST S. AUREUS AND E. COLI

The increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to conventional antibiotics necessitates the exploration of alternative antimicrobial agents, particularly those derived from medicinal plants. This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of ethanol and n-hexane seed extracts of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) against two clinically significant bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Extracts were prepared using Soxhlet extraction, and antimicrobial activity was assessed using the agar well diffusion method. Phytochemical screening revealed that the ethanol extract contained high levels of alkaloids and flavonoids, moderate amounts of tannins, saponins, and terpenoids, and a slight presence of glycosides. In contrast, the n hexane extract demonstrated only moderate terpenoid and low levels of other phytochemicals, with tannins absent. Antibacterial testing showed that n-hexane extract had superior activity, with E. coli exhibiting inhibition zones ranging from 15 mm to 26 mm and S. 6 7 aureus from 9 mm to 21 mm across concentrations of 25–200 mg/mL. Ethanol extract showed moderate activity, with E. coli inhibition zones from 10 mm to 18 mm and S. aureus from 7 mm to 12 mm. For comparison, Streptomycin demonstrated higher inhibition against S. aureus (15–26 mm) than E. coli (12–16 mm). The results indicate that Momordica charantia seed extracts, particularly the n-hexane extract, possess significant antibacterial properties, especially against E. coli. These findings support the traditional use of bitter melon in treating infections and highlight its potential as a source of plant-based antimicrobial agents.