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ABSTRACT
Carica papaya (pawpaw) is a medicinal plant with economical and pharmacologically active substances, and has been shown to possess phytoconstituents that are naturally toxic to bacteria. This study was focused on the antibacterial properties of papaya seed extract against some selected enteric bacteria. Ethanol and water were used as solvents for extraction. Antibacterial activities of the seed extract were determined using agar well diffusion method on clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter sp. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for each extract were determined using the broth dilution techniques. Escherichia coli showed the highest susceptibility (15.90mm), while Salmonella typhi showed the least susceptibility (3.50mm) to ethanolic seed extract. Salmonella typhi was resistant while Staphylococcus aureus showed the highest susceptibility (13.50mm) to aqueous extract. The MIC for E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Enterobacter sp and Staphylococcus aureus were 50mg/ml, >100mg/ml, 25mg/ml, 50mg/ml for aqueous extract and 25mg/ml, 50mg/ml, 25mg/ml and 50mg/ml for ethanolic extract respectively. alThe MBC of aqueous extract of papaya seeds against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter sp. were 100mg/ml, >100mg/ml 50mg/ml and 50mg/ml for aqueous extract and 50mg/ml, 100mg/ml, 100mg/ml and 50mg/ml for ethanolic extract respectively. The findings of this study revealed that Carica papaya seeds exhibited broadspectrum antibacterial properties against some gastrointestinal microbes.
