Antimicrobial Activity of Commonly Used Spices Against Selected Microbes

Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. Vol. 4, No. 2, Dec, 2011 (150-154)

Antimicrobial activity of commonly used spices against selected microbes

V. Srivastava and M. Musaddiq Post Graduate Department of Microbiology, Shri Shivaji College, Akola 444 003.

ABSTRACT India has been recognized as home of spices since long gap of times. Spices and herbs are used generally to impart flavor. Increasing hazards due to over consumption of antibiotics has led investigators to find other alternates for our day today life.The medicinal value of many spices used in india has been known for centuries. There are certain compounds which we generally utilised just to add flavors' to our food unknowingly that they may have several other benefits. Spices and herbs are such compounds they enhance flavor of food. India is recognized as home of spices.Spices were used by Greeks and Romans to combat several disorders like poor eyesight, poor digestion, stomach disorder etc. Present study has been carried out with a view to analyses ability of some spices as antibacterial agents. Extracts of commonly used spices like Ferula asafoeitida (Hing), Trachyspermum ammi (Ajowan), Mangifera indica (Amchur), Capsicum annum L. (Chilles), Cumin agminium (jira), Elettoria cardomomum (Bara Elaichi), Lesses Cardamom (Choti elaichi), Cinnamomum tamala Ness (Tejpat), Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume (Dalchini), Eugeenia caryophyllus (Clove) were tested against S. aureus, P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa, B. cerus, B. subtilis.Dalchini,Asafoetida,tamarind exhibit good inhibition against all organisms in their aquous extracts except P. aeruginosa and least inhibition was exhibited by extracts of asafoetida and chilli in their acetone extract form.

Key words : Antimicrobial activity, Spices, Zone of inhibition.

INTRODUCTION Gangrade et al., 1995; Garg et al., 1991; Kishore et. Spices constitute an important group of agricultural al., 1980; Shukla et al., 1987). Spices are generally commodities which are virtually indispensable in the considered safe and proved to be effective against culinary art. There are more than 80 spices grown in certain ailment (Hora et al .,1994). different parts of world and out of which 50 spices are grown in India. India alone contributes 25-30% of the Spices have been reported to prevent microbial total world trade in spices. Our 9 spices pepper, ginger, spoilage of food (Daw et al .,1994, Curtis et al., 1996, clove, cinnamon, cassia, mace, nutmeg, allspice and Hosono, 1996). This preservative property of spices cardamom alone contribute 25-30% of the total world has been attributed to the presence of some trade. antimicrobial principles contained in their oils (Sreenivasmurthy and Krishnamurthy, 1959). The spices are classified as major and minor spices.The major spices :include, black pepper, capsicum, ginger, The integration of herbal medicine in modern medical turmeric, cardamom where as the minor ones are practice, including treatments for infections and cancer ajowan, aniseed, caraway, celery seed,cumin, ,must take in to account the interrelated issue of quality coriander, dill seed .Since ancient times the spices and safety and efficacy.(Schwartsmann et al., 2002).The condiments are been used not only for flavoring food but antibacterial activity of essential oils in assigned to the also for preservatives and medicinal purpose.A large presence of a number of small terpenoids and phenolic number of medicinal plants have been used for many compound like thymol, carvacol, eugenol, a-terpineol, centuries for treating various diseases (Wright and y-terpinene which is pure from demonstrate high Philipson,1990). The essential oils present in certain antibacterial activity (Brannan et al .,1996). There is quantity (Bullerman et al ., 1977). Egyptians used the evidence that essential oils are more strongly oils of cinnamon, clove and cassia for processing of the antimicrobial than is accounted for by the additive effect dead mummies, as documented in various of their major antimicrobial components, thus investigations (Adebajo et al .,1989; Deans et al., suggesting a significant role of minor components (Lattaouc et al .,1994). SCIENCE th R A O N Received 16 Oct. 2011 F D Y N th T A E I T Accepted after revision 29 Dec. 2011

U MATERIAL AND METHODS

R S

E *Corresponding Author India BBRC ISSN : 0974 - 6455 Extracts of commonly used spices like Ferula Science For Life A Soc Sci Nat India Publication asafoeitida (Hing ), Trachyspermum amme (Ajowan ), 150 Srivastava and Musaddiq Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. Vol. 4, No. 2, Dec, 2011 (150-154)

Mangifera indica (Amchur ), Capsicum annum L. Extraction with Acetone :- Powdered spice (0.5 gm) (Chilles), Cuminum cyminium (Jira), Amomum was mixed with 5 ml of acetone in reagent bottle which subutatum (Choti elaichi ), Ellitoria Cadomomum(badi was closed and kept in rotatory shaker for overnight. Elaichi), Cinnamomum tamala Ness (Tejpat), Fluid was filtered and tested accordigly. Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Blume (Dalchini ), Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove ) were tested against S. aureus, P. Extraction with 90% methanol :- The above procedure vulgaris, P. aeurginosa, B. cerus, B. subtilis were tested was repeated with methanol also. by following method. FollowingTest Organisms were used : Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 Extraction : Bacillus subtilis NCIM 2063 Aqueous extracts :- About 0.5 gm of powdered spice Bacillus cerus NCIM 2322 was weighed and mixed with 5 ml of sterilized distilled Proteus vulgaris MTCC 7422 water in two separate sterile test tube. First test tube of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 2200 every mixture (spice powder + water) was kept unfoiled Bacterial cultures were maintained on Nutrient agar at is made and the second test tube of every mixture was 4°C – 8°C and were sub cultured after every one boiled for 2 minutes and extracts were tested for their week.Media :Nutrient agar and Nutrient Broth were antibacterial activity. used.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION :

Table No. 1 : Zone of inhibition of aqueous extracts of spices in mm Sr S. aureus P.vulgaris P.aeruginos B .cerus B. subtilis . Spices a N B UB B UB B UB B UB B UB o. 1 Ferula asafoeitida 12 NR NR NR 10.5 10.5 NR NR NR NR

2 Trachyspermum NR 10.5 NR NR 10.5 10.5 NR 11 NR NR amme 3 Mangifera indica 14 10.5 14 10.5 16 14.5 NR NR NR NR 4 Capsicum annum NR NR 10.5 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 5 Cuminum cyminium 10.5 10.5 NR 11 10.5 NR NR NR NR NR 6 Elettoria NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR cardomomum 7 Amomum NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR subutatum 8 Cinnamomum NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR tamala 9 Cinnamomum 14 16 10.5 10.5 NR NR 11 10.5 11 10.7 zeylanicum 10 Eugenia NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 10.5 11 caryophyllus

NR-Not registered

151 Srivastava and Musaddiq Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. Vol. 4, No. 2, Dec, 2011 (150-154)

Table No. 2 – Zone of inhibition of methanol extracts of spices in mm

Sr. S.aureus P.vulgaris P.aeruginosa B.cerus B.subtilis No. Spices 1 Ferula asafoeitida NR NR 6 6 NR

2 Trachyspermum NR NR NR 6 6.5 amme 3 Mangifera indica 6.5 9 7.5 7.5 8.5 4 Capsicum annum 6.5 NR NR 6.5 6.5 5 Cuminum NR NR NR NR NR cyminium 6 Elettoria NR NR NR NR NR cardomomum 7 Amomum NR NR NR NR NR subutatum 8 Cinnamomum NR NR 5.5 6.5 6.8 tamala 9 Cinnamomum NR NR 7 NR 6.5 zeylanicum 10 Eugenia NR NR NR 7 6 caryophyllus NR-Not registered

Table No. 3 – Zone of inhibition of acetone extracts of spices in mm

S.No. Spices S.aureus P.vulgaris P.aeruginosa B.cerus B.subtilis

1 Ferula NR NR NR NR NR asafoeitida 2 Trachyspermum NR NR NR 9 7.5 amme 3 Mangifera 6.5 9 8 NR 8 indica 4 Capsicum NR 7 NR NR NR annum 5 Cuminum NR NR NR NR NR cyminium 6 Elettoria NR NR NR NR NR cardomomum 7 Amomum NR NR NR NR NR subutatum 8 Cinnamomum NR NR NR NR NR tamala 9 Cinnamomum NR NR NR NR NR zeylanicum 10 Eugenia NR NR NR 9 9.5 caryophyllus NR-Not registered

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Table 4 : Bactericidal activity of spices acetone extract tested by disc diffusion

S.No. Spices S.aureus P.vulgaris P.aeruginosa B.cerus B.subtilis 1 Ferula R R R R R asafoeitida 2 Trachyspermum R R R S S amme 3 Mangifera R S S R S indica 4 Capsicum R R R R R annum 5 Cuminum S R R R S cyminium 6 Elettoria R R R S R cardomomum 7 Amomum R R R R R subutatum 8 Cinnamomum R R S R R tamala 9 Cinnamomum R R R R R zeylanicum 10 Eugenia R R R S S caryophyllus R:Resistant; S:Sensitive

In the present study of antibacterial activity of about ten negative bacteria in all the three extracts. But acetone spices it was observed that most of the spices have extracts of Capsicum annum ,Cuminum cyminium, been found to be highly effective against specific Elettoria cardamomum, Amomum subutatum, micro-organisms. The different zone of inhibition Cinnamomum tamala ,Cinnamomum zeylanicum against the growth of microorganisms shows the extent showed no activity against the test organisms. of antibacterial activity of the investigated spices. There are controversial reports on the activity of crude and It is confirmed that if spices are taken in their original alcoholic extracts of plant products. Ahmed et al., (1998) form,their boiled extracts are effective against many have reported that alcoholic extracts of medicinal plants bacteria. Cinnamomum zeylanicum showed more had greater activity than their aqueous extracts while a activity and largest zone of inhibition(14-16 mm in aq. contrary report was made in another study by Babu et Extract) was found full which is in accordance with like al., (2002). findings of Tiwari and Tiwari, (1997); Ferhout et al ., (1999); Mastura et al ., (1997) who have reported the In the present study aqueous extracts of the studied inhibitory effects of C.zeylinicum essential oil on meat spices were found to simulate the way they are deteoriating organisms. consumed in diet. The aqueous extracts of 8 spices, (Ferula asafoeitida ,Trachyspermum amme, Mangifera Aqueous extracts of Ferula asafoetida yielded large indica, Capsicum annum, Cuminum cyminium ,Elettoria zone of inhibition than its alcoholic extract against cardomomum, Amomum subutatum, Cinnamomum P.aeruginosa which is in contrast with to the recent tamala), Methanol extracts of 7 spices (Ferula report of Mishra et al., (2010) and earlier work of asafoeitida , Trachyspermum amme, Mangifera indica, Thagaraja et al. , (1996). Bara Elaichi and Choti Elaichi Capsicum annum, Cinnamomum tamala, Cinnamo- showed no activity. Some spices like Cinnamomum mum zeylanicum, Eugeenia caryophyllus) and Acetone zeylenicum, Eugenia caryophyllus, Cinnamomum extracts of 3 spices (Trachyspermum amme , Mangifera tamala showed antibiotic activity against indica , Eugeenia caryophyllus) show antibacterial microorganisms in their aqueous extracts but showed activity against test organisms. Trachyspermum amme no such activity in the disc diffusion method. This has been found to be more active in all three extracts for discrepency could be due to the lesser extract available Gram positive bacteria while Mangifera indica is also in the disc than that in the broth found active against gram positive as well as gram

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