Morinda citrifolia root extracts display significant antibacterial activity against various bacteria, with the highest impact against Campylobacter spp.
The study investigates the antibacterial properties of various forms of Morinda citrifolia (root, leaf, and fruit- fresh, dried, and fermented). These were extracted through distilled water and varied concentrations of ethanol(60%, 80%, 100%). The antibacterial assessments were conducted using the agar well diffusion method, utilizing Ciprofloxacin as a positive control. While all forms of the plant showed some degree of antibacterial performance, the root extracts were found to have the most significant influence.
The analysis of the results reveals a variance in antibacterial activity amongst the different extracts and the concentration of the solvents used. Among the solvents, the 100% ethanol extracts showed the most significant zones of inhibition. Certain bacteria, such as Enterococcus faecium, Campylobacter spp., and Bacillus cereus, were found to be more sensitive to the plant extracts. In contrast, Shigella spp. and Klebsiella spp. demonstrated resistance to most of the extracts. The study concludes a promising potential for antibacterial applications of M. citrifolia extracts.