Journal of Biology and Medicine: Open Access

Abstract 

Ocimum Grattissimum is used to treat several infectious and non-infectious diseases. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among bacteria to conventional antimicrobials becomes a serious challenge and threat worldwide. However, the medicinal plants of Ocimum Grattissimum, which are used for two Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria, was collected from Jimma town of Ethiopia. Therefore, the antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of selected plants was determined in vitro, using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determined against selected zoonotic pathogenic bacteria. Aqueous extraction, ethanol, and methanol were the extraction solvents used in this study. The means inhibition zone among three, methanolic and ethanolic crude extract, were higher and aqueous was lowest extract while compared using analysis of significant difference test. The antimicrobial assay showed that the zones of inhibition produced using the disc diffusion method ranged from 2±0.26mm lower to 30±0.34 mm highest for the three extraction methods, with the highest value of 30±0.34 mm obtained with methanol extraction. The zones of inhibition for dried Ocimum grattissimum methanol extract were 15±0.26mm lowest to 30±0.34mm highest and for were 15±0.26 to 28±0.11, Ethanol extract from dried leaf Ocimum grattissimum was 10±0.22mm lowest to 26±0.34mm highest and 7±0.11mm to 24±0.26mm respectively. Regarding ethanol, methanol extract, and hot and cold aqueous extract, there was a significant difference (P<0.05) seen for all tested bacteria. This study's results suggest that Ocimum grattissimum extracts may be useful in the search for an antibacterial agent to help create novel medications that combat animal pathogenic bacteria that cause life-threatening illnesses.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Life-threatening infections, Ocimum grattissimum, Pathogenic bacteria.