Short Communication

The antimicrobial effect of oils from Pentaclethra macrophylla Bent, Chrysophyllum albidum G. Don and Persea gratissima Gaerth F on some local clinical bacteria isolates

Ugbogu O. C.* and  Akukwe A. R.

Department of Microbiology, Abia State University, P. M. B. 2000, Uturu, Abia State,  Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: osychin@yahoo.com. Tel: +234 (0)37303493, 7084159395.

Accepted 3 November, 2008

A comparative study of the antimicrobial effect of oils from Pentaclethra macrophylla Bent, Chrysophyllum albidium G.Don and Persea grattissima Gaerth F seeds on some local clinical bacteria isolates was investigated. The local clinical isolates were Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. P. macrophylla seed oil had inhibition zone diameter (IZD) in millimeters in the range 5.4 - 29.3, P. grattisima 5.4 - 28.7 and C. albidum 7.6 - 30.0 for all the isolates tested. Except for the E. coli isolate AC that had inhibition zone diameter (mm) of 10.6, 8.4 and 9.5 respectively for the various oils, none of the isolates showed complete resistance to all the oils tested. There is a potential to use oils from non utilised oil seeds in management of wounds.

Key words: Non utilised oil seeds, antimicrobial, local clinical isolates, wounds.