Antimicrobial activity of ginger and onion extracts against enteric pathogens

Abstract

The antimicrobial properties of extracts of Allium cepa and Zingiber officinale against different enteric pathogen were investigated by using agar well diffusion method. The result obtained revealed that, ethanolic extract of ginger gave the largest zone of inhibition against S. aureus and the lowest zone of inhibition against E. coli and S. typhi however the ethanolic extract of onion gave the largest zone of inhibition against S. aureus and the lowest zone of inhibition against B. cereus, S. typhi, E. coli. Methanolic extract of ginger gave the widest zone of inhibition against S. aureus and the lowest zone of inhibition against E. coli and the methanolic extract of onion gave the widest zone of inhibition against S. aureus and B. cereus and no zone of inhibition against E. coli. The result showed that ginger was more effective and produced remarkable inhibitory effect on the two out of four test organism when compared to the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of onion.