Bactericidal Effect of the Mixture of Zingiber Officinale and Xylopia Athiopica Extract Against Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi

Student: Chinecherem Prudentia Okonkwo (Project, 2025)
Department of Microbiology
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State

Abstract

The global cases of Salmonella infection in developing countries, particularly in Nigeria, remain a major endemic concern despite advancements in health and medical sciences. This study was undertaken to assess the bactericidal effect of the mixture of Zingiber officinale and Xylopia aethiopica extracts against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

The phytochemical constituents of the plant extracts were determined quantitatively using spectrophotometric and gravimetric methods. The antibacterial activity of the extracts was evaluated by culturing the test isolates and exposing them to different concentrations of the plant extracts. The susceptibility of the isolates was assessed using the disk diffusion technique.

The study revealed the presence of cardiac glycosides, steroids, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenolics, and saponins in the extract of Curcuma longa, with alkaloids and flavonoids being the most predominant. The mixture of Zingiber officinale and Xylopia aethiopica extracts significantly reduced the number of resistant Salmonella cells to a negligible level, indicating strong bactericidal potential.

Therefore, the combined extracts could be considered a promising natural alternative in the management of typhoid infection caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

Keywords
zingiber officinale xylopia aethiopica Salmonella Typhi bactericidal activity plant extracts antibacterial properties typhoid treatment phytochemicals
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