ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at evaluating the percentage yield and antibacterial activity ofsoap formulated from Persea americana (Avocado pear) and Azadirachtha indica (Neem). Ripe fruits of Persea americana (avocado pear) and Azadirachtha indica (neem) were washed with water, put in polyethylene bags for 24 hours for the fruit to soften. The pulps were removed and mashed using mortar and pestle to have a smooth paste. Also, unripe fruits of Persea americana and Azadirachtha indica were kept for about 48 hours at room temperature until they were ripened. The method of(Mak-Mensah and Firempong, 2011) was used for soap production. The individual oils (100 g) of Persea americana and Azadirachtha indica respectively was weighed into separate 500 cm3 beakers, heated to about 100°C and saponification was initiated by adding 20 cm3 of 23.5% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. To the resulting solution, 60 g of NaOH pellets dissolved in 100 cm3 ofdistilled water. Four reference bacterial strains and three laboratory strains from our laboratory stock culture confirmed to be multi-drug resistant bacteria was used for the antibacterial assay. The bacterial strains include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae. Listera monocytogenes, Baccilus anthracis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirahilis and Escherichia coli. The result ofthe zone ofinhibition ofneem formulated soap against gram positive bacteria at lOOmg/ml ranged from 6.50 to 8.40 mm, that of avocado formulated soap ranged from 4.8 to 6.20 mm and the control (ciprofloxacin) ranged from 10.50 to 12.40 mm. At the concentration of 200mg/ml neem formulated soap had a zone of inhibition of 8.00 to 10.60 mm, that of avocado formulated soap ranged from 6.50 to 8.50 mm and the control (ciprofloxacin) ranged from 15.00 to 16.20 mm. The result of the zone of inhibition of neem formulated soap against gram negative bacteria at lOOmg/ml concentration ranged from 6.50 to 7.30 mm, that of avocado formulated soap ranged from 5.20 to 6.50 mm and the control (ciprofloxacin) ranged from 10.30 to 11.40 mm. At the concentration of 200mg/dl the zone of inhibition of neem formulated soap against gram negative bacteria ranged from 8.25 to 9.40 mm, that avocado formulated soap ranged from 6.50 to 8.00 mm and the control (ciprofloxacin) ranged from 18.40 to 21.50 mm. The result ofthe percentage yield showed that avocado had a better yield of 28.20 % than neem which had a value of 19.40 %. Generally, the soap samples were active against the test organisms but not more than the control.