Antimicrobial Activity Of Crude Leaf Extract Of Carica Papaya (Paw Paw) xxx

ABSTRACT

 The antimicrobial activities of the crude leaf extract of Carica papaya on some human pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeivginosa, Escherichia co/i) were carried out using agar well diffusion method. The bioactive compounds of the leaf was extracted using Water and Ethanol. The aqueous and ethanol extract were tested at 200mg!ml, 100mg/ml, and 5Omglml concentration on the bacterial isolates. The result showed that only the ethanolic extract were effective in inhibiting all the test organism. Pseudoinonas aeroginosa had the highest susceptibility to the ethanolic extract at 200mg/ml with a zone of inhibition of 15.5mm and Escherichia co/i had the least susceptibility at 200mg/ml with a zone of inhibition of 7.0mm. The test organisms had a higher susceptibility to the standard antibiotic levofloxacin than the leaf extract. Demonstration of the antimicrobial activity on the isolates is an indication that there is a possibility of sourcing for an alternative antibiotic substance in this plant for the development of newer antibacterial agents.