Evaluation of Various Crude Extracts of Zingiber officinale Rhizome for Potential Antibacterial Activity: A Study in Vitro

Purshotam Kaushik, Pankaj Goyal
DOI: 10.4236/aim.2011.11002                

Abstract

In vitro antibacterial activity of crude aqueous and organic extracts of rhizome of Zingiber officinaleRoscoe (ginger) was studied against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi) and Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) bacterial strains. The present study reveals that the pattern of inhibition varied with the solvent used for extraction and the organism tested. Plant extracts prepared in organic solvents provided more consistent antibacterial activity as compared to aqueous extracts. Methanol extract was the most active against maximum number of bacterial species tested. Gram-positive bacteria were found the most sensitive as compared to Gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus was significantly inhibited by almost all the extracts even in very low MIC followed by other Gram-positives. Escherichia coli (a Gram-negative bacterium) was showing the least inhibition with highest MIC values, while Salmonella typhi was found completely resistant. Methanol extract yielded the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins in phytochemical screening. Results of the present study sign the interesting assurance of designing a potentially active antibacterial agent from Zingiber officinale.

Keywords

Zingiber officinale, Antibacterial Activity, Agar-Well Diffusion Assay, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Microbroth Dilution, Phytochemistry

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	M. L. Cohen, “Epidemiology of Drug Resistance, Implications for a Post Antimicrobial Era,” Science, Vol. 257, No. 5073, 1992, pp. 1050-1055. doi:10.1126/science.257.5073.1050
[2]	S. G. Gold and R. C. Moellering, “Antimicrobial Drug Resistance,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 335, No. 19, 1996, pp. 1445-1453. doi:10.1056/NEJM199611073351907
[3]	P. Kaushik, “Glimpses of Medical Botany in Athar-vaveda,” The Vedic Path, Vol. 48, No. 2, 1985, pp. 64-67.
[4]	P. Kaushik and A. K. Dhiman, “Medicinal Plants and Raw Drugs of India,” Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, New Cannaught Place, 2000.
[5]	D. Gehlot and A. Bohra, “Antimicrobial Activity of Various Plant Extracts of Aerva persica,” Advances in Plant Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 1, 1998, pp. 109-111.
[6]	A. Ghanaksh and P. Kaushik, “Antibacterial Effect of Aerides multiflora Roxb. A Study in Vitro,” Journal of the Orchid Society of India, Vol. 13, No. 1-2, 1993, pp. 65-68.
[7]	P. Kaushik, V. Upadhyay and P. Singh, “Antibacterial Potential of Bryophytes,” The Botanica, Vol. 50, 2000, pp. 132-136.
[8]	A. Nostro, M. P. Germano, V. D. Angelo, A. Marino and M. A. Cannatelli, “Extraction Methods and Bioautography for Evaluation of Medicinal Plant Antimicrobial Activity,” Letters in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 30, No. 5, 2000, pp. 379-384. doi:10.1046/j.1472-765x.2000.00731.x
[9]	A. Samie, C. L. Obi, P. O. Bessong and L. Namrita, “Activity Profiles of Fourteen Selected Medicinal Plants from Rural Venda Communities in South Africa against Fifteen Clinical Bacterial Species,” African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 4, No. 12, 2005, pp. 1443-1451.
[10]	D. A. Akinpelu and T. M. Onakoya, “Antimicrobial Activities of Medicinal Plants Used in Folklore Remedies in South-Western,” African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 5, No. 11, 2006, pp. 1078-1081.
[11]	P. Kaushik and A. K. Dhiman, “Some Vedic Medicinal Plants,” Advances in Plant Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 11, 1985, pp. 1-12.
[12]	P. Kaushik, “Indigenous Medicinal Plants Including Microbes and Fungi,” Today and Tomorrow’s Printers & Publishers, New Delhi, 1988.
[13]	B. K. H. Tan and J. Vanitha, “Immunomodulatory and Antimicrobial Effects of Some Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs: A Review,” Current Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 11, No. 11, 2004, pp. 1423-1430.
[14]	L. L. Zaika, “Spices and Herbs: Their Antimicrobial Activity and Its Determination,” Journal of Food Safety, Vol. 9, No. 21, 1975, pp. 97-118. doi:10.1111/j.1745-4565.1988.tb00511.x
[15]	D. Bensky and A. Gamble, “Chinese Herbal Medicine, Materica Medica,” Eastland Press Inc, Seattle, 1993.
[16]	G. Singh, I. P. Kapoor, P. Singh, C. S. de Heluani, M. P. de Lampasona and C. A. Catalan, “Chemistry, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Investigations on Essential Oil and Oleoresins of Zingiber officinale,” Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol. 46, No. 10, 2008, pp. 3295-3302. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2008.07.017
[17]	C. Perez, M. Pauli and P. Bazerque, “An Antibiotic Assay by the Agar-Well Diffusion Method,” Acta Biologiae et Medecine Experimentalis, Vol. 15, 1990, pp. 113-115.
[18]	National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS), “Methods for Dilution Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests for Bacteria That Grow Aerobically,” Approved Standards M7-A4, Wayne, 1997.
[19]	J. B. Harborne, “Methods of Plant Analysis,” In: J. B. Harbone, Ed., Phytochemical Methods, Chapman and Hill, London, 1973, p. 132.
[20]	M. N. Indu, A. A. M. Hatha, C. Abirosh, U. Harsha and G. Vivekanandan, “Antimicrobial Activity of Some of the South-Indian Spices against Serotypes of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila,” Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, Vol. 37, No. 2, 2006, pp. 153-158. doi:10.1590/S1517-83822006000200011
[21]	P. Kaushik and P. Goyal, “In Vitro Evaluation of Datura innoxia (Thorn-Apple) for Potential Antibacterial Activity,” Indian Journal of Microbiology, Vol. 48, No. 3, 2008, pp. 353-357. doi:10.1007/s12088-008-0020-7
[22]	M. Park, J. Bae and D. S. Lee, “Antibacterial Activity of [10]-Gingerol and [12]-Gingerol Isolated from Ginger Rhizome against Periodontal Bacteria,” Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 22, No. 11, 2008, pp. 1446-1449. doi:10.1002/ptr.2473
[23]	S. Nanasombat and P. Lohasupthawee, “Antibacterial Activity of Crude Ethanolic Extracts and Essential Oils of Spices against Salmonellae and Other Enterobacteria,” KMITL Science and Technology Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2005, pp. 527-538. doi:10.1111/j.1472-765X.2004.01605.x
[24]	C. Thongson, P. M. Davidson, W. Mahakarnchanakul, and J. Weiss, “Antimicrobial Activity of Ultrasound-Assisted Solvent-Extracted Spices,” Letters in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 39, No. 5, 2004, pp. 401-406.
[25]	H. C. Chen, M. D. Chang and T. J. Chang, “Antibacterial Properties of Some Spice Plants before and after Heat Treatment,” Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology, Vol. 18, 1985, pp. 190-195.