Antibacterial Effects of Aqueous Extract of Moringa Oleifera Leaves on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Research Article

Abstract

The primary objective was to investigate the potential antibacterial efficacy of Moringa oleifera against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A well-known medicinal plant valued for its nutritional benefits. Given the escalating challenge of antibacterial resistance, there is a pressing need to explore alternative treatments, thus providing impetus for this investigation. The antibacterial effects of aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extract at concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/ml were tested against MRSA using the standardized broth microdilution technique and a confirmatory modified disc diffusion method. Strains of MRSA were isolated from blood, wound and pus swabs, sputum, urine, cerebro-spinal fluid and synovial fluid. The broth microdilution method revealed mean inhibitions of 34.3% (1.5) at 25 mg/ml and 10.7% (0.3). The disc diffusion method indicated inhibitory zones of 14 mm, 13 mm, 12 mm, 10 mm, and 9 mm at concentrations of 200 mg/ml, 100 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 25 mg/ml, respectively. The inhibition zones demonstrate a proportional increase with the rising concentration of the extract, confirming a direct correlation. No effective inhibition or zone formation was observed at 6.25 mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentration determined by both techniques concurred at 12.5 mg/ml.