ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Aframonum melegueta (ALLIGATOR PEPPER) AND Xylopia aethiopica (AFRICAN PEPPER) AGAINST MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT E.coli AND Klebsiella spp. ISOLATED FROM URINE SAMPLES

This study was carried out to assess the antibacterial activity of Aframomum melegueta and Xylopia aethiopica against multi-drug resistant E.coli and Klebsiella spps isolates from urine samples. A total of 100 urine samples were collected from Ikwo local Government Health Center, Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Isolation and identification of bacteria isolates were carried out using standard microbiological methods. Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was used in the antibiotics susceptibility test, agar diffusion method was employed for determination of zone of inhibition of the two extracts. Twenty eight (28) isolates were confirmed to be E.coli while 20 isolates were confirmed Klebsiella spp. Seven E.coli isolates and 5 Klebsiella isolates were Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR). The isolates showed resistance to most of the antibiotics used and were susceptible to only Imipenem (IPM). The two extracts showed mild antibacterial activity on the MDR isolates. Xylopia aethiopica extract showed little zones of inhibition at concentration of 6.25mg/ml while there was no zone of inhibition recorded for Aframomum melegueta extract at concentrations of 6.25mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml. The wider zones of inhibition recorded was at the highest concentration of the two extracts at 50mg/ml.