In-vitro studies on the effect of Nigella sativa Linn., seed oil extract on Multidrug resistant Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria

Abstract

Multi-drug resistance bacterial are a major public health concern in this post antibiotic era. The rate at which these bacteria are evolving is not synonymous with the rate at which new antibiotics are produce. In recent years, researches are being directed towards the use of herbal products in the treatment of various infections. One of such is the use of the Black seed cumin (Nigella sativa) in the treatment of ailments. In this study, different concentrations of Nigella sativa oil were tested for their antibacterial activity against different strains of Gram positive and Gram negative multi-drug resistant bacteria (MRSA, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) by using well diffusion method. For all the different strains of Acinetobacter baumannii and E. coli that were tested against 100% of N. sativa oil, there was no recorded zone of inhibition. However, for the different strains of MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, different zones of inhibition where obtained for all the different oil dilutions used. Bacterial growth was inhibited at 100%, 80%, 50%, 40%, 30% and 20% N. sativa oil dilutions.