STM Article Repository

Antibacterial potential of crude turmeric rhizome extracts in combination with Potassium aluminium
sulphate (PAS/Alum) against four (4) bacterial species were determined using disc diffusion (DD) and
agar well diffusion (AWD) protocols. All the test bacteria were susceptible to the extracts with and
without PAS on a dose dependent manner. The highest diameter of inhibition zone (DIZ) by DD was
observed with ethanolic turmeric extract (ETE) in combination with PAS (ETE+PAS) at 0.3 g
concentration on Escherichia coli (16.6±0.8 mm) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (15.3±1.1 mm) as
well as on Staphylococcus aureus (15.0±0.0 mm) respectively. With AWD, PAS exhibited the best
activity at 0.3 g concentration on Bacillus cereus (17.8±1.0 mm), S. aureus (16.0 ±0.7 mm) and
14.0mm on P. fluorescens and E. coli respectively. Furthermore, the enhancement of antibacterial
activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria with extracts of turmeric with PAS is
suggestive of broad spectrum activity. In contrast, however, the susceptibility of test bacteria to the
treatment strategy of the extracts of turmeric and PAS were less efficacious to Ofloxacin. This
underscores the preference for use of synthetic drugs for treatments of infections but due to
increasing antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR) and obvious side effects, natural substances are
preferred alternative as they have nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and less side effects.