ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF VARIOUS SPICE EXTRACTS AGAINST BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL STRAINS

Abstract

Various cultures of microbes; including gram positive, gram negative and fungi were grown in presence of spice
extracts to test their antimicrobial properties. The results revealed that for E. aerogens bacterial strains, ceftriaxone
antibiotic was found effective whereas for soil bacteria and staphylococcus aureus gentamicin was having inhibitory
effects. No, any antibiotic was effective for the fungal strain. Various spice extracts were concerned cumin and chili
inhibited the growth of E. aerogens and cumin extract controlled soil bacterial growth. No, any extract inhabited
staphylococcus aureus multiplication. The extract of the cinnamon positively controlled growth of Aspergillus
niger. Antioxidant activity was found higher in cinnamon (0.57). In methanol extract, cumin, cinnamon, and red
chili showed higher phenolic content (0.098, 0.096 and 0.094 respectively). Flavonoid data showed that cumin
(0.63) had more flavonoid content in water extract. In methanol extract, Red chili and cinnamon had more flavonoid
content (1.98 and 0.959). This biochemical analysis showed that antioxidant activity, phenolic content, and
Flavonoid content was higher in cinnamon, cumin, and red chilies. This may be the reason that these spices had also
shown strong inhibitory effect on microbial population