Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Activity of Piperine Extract and Essential Oil of Piper nigrum Leaves

Phytochemical and antimicrobial activities of the Piperine extract and essential oil extract from Piper nigrum leaves were evaluated. The phytochemicals were determined using Harborn standard qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. The antimicrobial assay was carried out using agar well diffusion method and the test organisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, E. coli and Aspergillus spp. The study revealed that the flavonoid, tannin, saponin, glycosides, phenol, and alkaloids content  of Piperine extract of Piper nigrum are as follows 1.1 % ± 0.1, 71.58 mg/l ±0.1, 1.4 % ± 0.4, 4.7 % ± 0.03, 7.59 mg ± 0.1 and 1.5 % ± 0.3 respectively. The antimicrobial assay of Piperine extract showed zones of inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus , Salmonella spp, E. coli  and Aspergillus spp  are as follows: 18.0 mm, 19.0 mm, 21.0 mm and 18.0 mm respectively. While zone of inhibition for the essential oil for Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, E. coli and Aspergillus spp  are as follows:  33.0 mm, 40.0 mm, 47.0 mm and 8.0 mm respectively. The result obtained from this study shows that essential oil has more zone of inhibition than Piperine extract leaves and this indicates that essential oil can be more effective in the treatment of disease caused by all these organisms.