ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF ZINGIBER OFFICINALE AND GARCINIA KOLA ON RESPIRATORY TRACT PATHOGENS
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the antibacterial activity of Zingiber officinale (ginger) Garcinia
kola (bitter kola) on four respiratory tract pathogens.
Design: A prospective study based on laboratory investigations.
Setting: Department of Life Sciences, University of Buea. Throat swabs were collected
from 333 individuals with running nostrils, cough and / or catarrh in three localities
of Buea namely Bokwango, Molyko and Bolifamba. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus
pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were isolated from the
specimens using standard microbiological procedures. The antibacterial activity of
ethanolic extracts of ginger and bitter kola, were investigated on these pathogens using
the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration
(MBC) assays.
Results: The extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against the pathogens. The MIC
of extracts ranged from 0.0003µg/ml to 0.7µg/ml for ginger and 0.00008µg/ml, to 1.8µg/
mL for bitter kola, while MBC ranged from 0.1.35µg/ml to 2.04µg/ml for ginger and
0.135µg/ml to 4.2µg/ml for bitter kola.
Conclusion: Results indicated that extracts of ginger root and bitter kola may contain
compounds with therapeutic activity.
kola (bitter kola) on four respiratory tract pathogens.
Design: A prospective study based on laboratory investigations.
Setting: Department of Life Sciences, University of Buea. Throat swabs were collected
from 333 individuals with running nostrils, cough and / or catarrh in three localities
of Buea namely Bokwango, Molyko and Bolifamba. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus
pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were isolated from the
specimens using standard microbiological procedures. The antibacterial activity of
ethanolic extracts of ginger and bitter kola, were investigated on these pathogens using
the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration
(MBC) assays.
Results: The extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against the pathogens. The MIC
of extracts ranged from 0.0003µg/ml to 0.7µg/ml for ginger and 0.00008µg/ml, to 1.8µg/
mL for bitter kola, while MBC ranged from 0.1.35µg/ml to 2.04µg/ml for ginger and
0.135µg/ml to 4.2µg/ml for bitter kola.
Conclusion: Results indicated that extracts of ginger root and bitter kola may contain
compounds with therapeutic activity.
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