Evaluation of Antimicrobial Effects of Alligator Pepper (aframomum Melegueta) and Bitter Cola(garcinia Kola) on Pathogenic Microorganisms  

ABSTRACT The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant microbialposes a significant challenge to public health, necessitating the exploration of alternative antibacterial agents. This study investigates the antimicrobial efficacy of Aframomum melegueta(Alligator Pepper) and Garcinia kola (Bitter Kola) against selected pathogenic microorganisms, including Candida albicans and Streptococcus spp. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plants, individually and in combination, were evaluated using standard diffusion methods on Mueller Hinton Agar. The results revealed moderate antimicrobial activity, with aqueous extracts generally exhibiting higher zones of inhibition than ethanolic extracts. For Candida albicans, aqueous extracts ofAlligator Pepper and Bitter Kola yielded average inhibitionzones of 12 mm and 12.6 mm, respectively, while the combination of the two showed an average of 12 mm. For Streptococcus spp., the aqueous extract of Bitter Kola demonstrated an inhibition zone of 8.7 mm, while the combined extract recorded an average of 9.7 mm. Ethanolic extracts showed similar trends but with slightly lower efficacy. Notably, cough syrup used as a control exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity among all tested samples. These findings highlight the potential of Alligator Pepper and Bitter Kola as natural antimicrobial agents, particularly in their aqueous forms, and suggest synergistic effects when combined. The study underscores the relevance of bioactive phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and essential oils in combating microbial infections. Further research is recommended to isolate activecompounds, optimize extraction methods, and evaluate clinicalapplications to address the global challenge of antibiotic resistance.   Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, Aframomum melegueta,Garcinia kola, Candida albicans, Streptococcus spp.,antimicrobial activity, Natural remedies, Phytochemicals,Synergistic effects.