Anthonio Research Publications (ARP): ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF CARICA PAPAYA FRUIT PARTS ON SOME GRAM POSITIVE AND GRAM NEGATIVE ORGANISMS

International Journal of Herbs and Pharmacological Research IJHPR, 2013, 2(4): 42 – 47.

www.arpjournals.com

RESEARCH PAPER:

ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF CARICA

PAPAYA FRUIT PARTS ON SOME GRAM POSITIVE AND GRAM NEGATIVE ORGANISMS

1Orhue P.O. and *2Momoh A.R.M.

Department of 1Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences; 2Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences;

Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma-Nigeria.

Correspondence: mcsionelphilrazzy@yahoo.com

Received: 29th july, 2013 Accepted: 19th October, 2013 Published: 31st October, 2013

ABSTRACT

Aside its nutritional values, there are speculations that Carica papaya, also known as paw paw, has antibacterial potentials. This study evaluates the antibacterial potentials of different extracts of C.papaya parts, in comparison with standard drugs (perflacine and cefuroxine). Dried and grinded papaya leaves (5g), fruit peels (5g); and seeds (5g), respectively mixed with 95ml of extraction solvent (water, ethanol, 1% HCl, acetone and petroleum ether) for 24 hours, were used for this study. The constituent compounds were filtered aseptically and inoculated unto MacConkey and Nutrient agars to verify the sterility of the solutions for utilization. Results showed high antimicrobial activity for the extracts of C.papaya in petroleum ether with a Minimun Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 2mg/ml as against 4mg/ml and 6mg/ml for perflacine and cefuroxine respectively. Extracts in 1% HCl and ethanol however, showed antimicrobial activity against the gram positive and negative organisms investigated, while extracts in water was only active against Escherichia coli and S. aureus. No statistical difference (P<0.05) was observed in the antimicrobial activities between the extracts of petroleum ether and the standard antimicrobial drugs. These suggest that C. papaya may be used as an antibiotic, and extracts in petroleum ether seems more potent.

Key words: Carica papaya, Antimicrobial, Extraction solvents, Plant parts.

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INTRODUCTION

The use of local plants as primary health remedies, due to their pharmacological properties, is quite common in Asia, Latin America, USA, China, Japan and Africa (Bibitha et al., 2002). According to Boakye-yiadon and Dwuma-Bada (1997), there are over 10,000 medicinal plants in West Africa, used for disease treatment and prevention. While infectious diseases are reported to be the world’s major human threat and accounting for almost 50,000 deaths every day (Ahmad and Beg, 2001), the frequency and diversity of life-threatening infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms has increased steadily; becoming an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immune-compromised patients especially in developing countries (Al-Bari et al., 2006). The situation is further complicated with the rapid development of multidrug resistance to the available antimicrobial drugs (Nirosha and Mangalanayaki, 2013). This has globally challenged research institutions, pharmaceutical companies and the academia, and has led to the search for newer sources of antibiotics that must be more effective, affordable and readily available (Adekunle and Adekunle, 2009; Latha and Kannabiran, 2006).

Plants have been reported to be the cheapest and most effective source of drugs (Mathur et al., 2011; Prince and Prabakaran, 2011; Pretorius and Watt, 2001). In recent times, the use of herbal medicine in third world countries has increased, owing to the fact western orthodox medicines are relatively expensive and readily not available. This explains the increasing research on various plants, and the upsurge in mass-media advert placement on herbal preparations by countless ‘traditional doctors’.

Of interest in this study, is Carica papaya (C. papaya) commonly known as pawpaw (English), Adiba (Ewe–Ghana) or Bofre (Twi–Ghana). It belongs to the family of Caricaceae and several species of Caricaceae have been used as medication against a variety of diseases (Mello et al., 2008). Available evidence indicate that C. papaya can act as an analgesic, amebicide, antibacterial, cardiotonic, cholagogue, digestive, emenagogue, febrifuge, hypotensive, laxative, pectoral, stomachic and vermifuge (Anibijuwon and Udeze, 2009). Many scientific investigations have also been conducted to evaluate the biological activities of their various parts including fruits, shoots, leaves, rinds, seeds, roots or latex (Baskaran et al., 2012; Maisarah et al., 2013). In fact, a number of studies worldwide have investigated the antimicrobial properties of plants and C. papaya has been reported to serve as a source for therapeutic alternatives (Adriana et al., 2007).

Studies conducted in different parts of Africa have demonstrated the significant antibacterial activity of various extracts pawpaw tree parts (Doughari et al., 2007; Dawkins et al., 2003; Emeriwa, 1982). Specifically, Osato et al., (1993) reported that the latex of C. papaya is bacteriostatic to Bacillus spp, Enterobacter coacae, Escherichia coli, Saimonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus vulgaris. The seed was reported to have antimicrobial activity against Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites and was suggested it could be used in urinogenital disorder like trichomoniasis, however, with care to avoid toxicity (Calzada et al., 2007). In addition to its antimicrobial qualities, scientists have discovered that C. papaya can mitigate many side effects associated with synthetic antimicrobial agents (Rajeshwar and Gupta, 2005; Iwu et al., 1999).

Despite these scientific facts on the antimicrobial potentials of C. papaya, little information exits on studies that have compared the potencies of extracts from different parts in varied extraction solvents. Hence, this study investigates the antibacterial activity of different parts of Carica papaya in different extraction solutions, in comparison with standard drugs (perflacine and cefuroxine).