Antibacterial Activity of Biherbal Root Extracts on Bacterial Isolates

This research determines the antibacterial activity of the aqueous and methanol root extracts of male and female Carica papaya and Garcinia kola individually and in biherbal formulations using the agar diffusion method. The dried roots of the two plants were powdered separately. Garcinia kola (100 g) and Carica papaya (100 g) were macerated separately in boiled water and absolute methanol, Garcinia kola (50 g) and Carica papaya (50 g) were combined (100 g) and macerated in boiled water and absolute methanol at room temperature (30°C ± 2°C) for 72 hours. They were filtered and concentrated at 60 °C. The extract's antimicrobial susceptibility and minimum inhibitory concentration against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were performed using the agar diffusion methods. The aqueous root extract of Garcinia kola, methanol extracts of Garcinia kola, and its combined formulations of Carica papaya and Garcinia kola, had zones of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species showed no zone of inhibition in aqueous and methanol root extracts. Staphylococcus aureus recorded the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration followed by Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The root extracts of Carica papaya and the aqueous biherbal formulation showed no antibacterial properties, however, its methanol extract recorded significant antibacterial activity p < 0.05 and could be used to treat bacterial infections.