Invirtro Determination of Bacteriocidal Effect of Garlic on Staphylococcus Aureaus and Escherichia Coli

Garlic (Allium sativum) has long been recognized for its medicinal properties,
particularly its antimicrobial potential. This study evaluated the antibacterial activity
of aqueous, ethanolic, and N-hexane extract of garlic against Staphylococcus aureus
and Escherichia coli. The aqueous extract showed no antibacterial activity, indicating
that water may not effectively extract the
bioactive antimicrobial compounds from garlic. In contrast, the ethanolic extract
exhibited inhibition against E. coli (10 mm), while the N-hexane extract
demonstrated significant inhibition against both S. aureus (l4 mm) and E. coli (9
mm). These findings suggest that garlic’s antimicrobial components are more
effectively extracted using organic solvents, particularly N-hexane (Reiter et al., 2020)
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing revealed that the ethanolic extract
had an MIC of l00 mg/ or E coli, while the N-hexane extract had an MIC of 150 mg/ml
for S. aureus and l00 mg nl Jor E coli. The minimum bactericidal concentration
(MBC) results indicated that both ethanolic and N-hexane extracts exhibited
bacteriostatic effects, inhibiting bacterial growth but not completely eradicating the
bacteria. This suggests that garlic extracts may require higher concentrations or
extended exposure periods for effective bactericidal action (Bakri, 2005).
Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of terpenoids, which are known for
their antimicrobial properties, while steroids, tannins, phlobatannins, flavonoids,
carbohydrates, and phenols were absent. The lack of phenolic compounds and
flavonoids may contribute to the lower antibacterial efficacy of garlic extracts
compared to standard antibiotics Harborne, 1998).
These findings highlight the potential of garlic as a natural antimicrobial agent,
particularly when extracted using non-polar solvents. However, further research is
needed to optimize extraction methods and explore the use of garlic extracts in
combination with other
antimicrobial for enhanced efficacy.