Antimicrobial activity of the aqueous extract of Acacia (Acacia nilotica) in inhibiting the growth of some pathogenic bacterial strains

Abstract

The study was conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Biology at the College of Science and Arts in Baljurashi- Baha Region-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The aim of the research was studying the effectiveness of the aqueous extract of the Acacia plant Acacia Nilotica on the growth of some of pathogenic bacteria strains and comparing it with Myrrha essential oil (Commiphora Myrrha). The result indicated that the aqueous extract of the Acacia plant (Acacia Nilotica) has a potent antimicrobial activity against all tested organisms expect Pseudomonas spp. which showed resistance against it. The inhibitory level among all tested organisms (Stenotrophomona spp., Achromobacter spp., Shewa Nell spp., Pseudoxanthomas spp., Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp. were   14 , 28, 16, 20, 0 and 12 mm  respectively. The highest antibacterial effect was against Achromobacter spp. where the inhibition zone (28mm) and the lowest antimicrobial effect was against Bacillus spp. where the inhibition zone (12mm). By the other hand Myrrha (Commiphora Myrrha) essential oil was very weak or did not cause any inhibition in the tested strains. More studies are needed to determine the antimicrobial activity of aqueous extract of the Acacia plant on other organisms which cause food spoilage, poisoning and food borne diseases.