In Vitro Antimicrobial Activities of Culinary Spices Against Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)- Causing Pathogens

Lee, Vanessa Rosarior (2017) In Vitro Antimicrobial Activities of Culinary Spices Against Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)- Causing Pathogens. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have always been a major health issue. UTIs are a condition whereby microorganism has invades into the urinary tract triggering inflammation in the urinary bladder causing a painful condition known as cystitis. Females are showed to be more susceptible towards this infection due to their shorter and wider urethra and its closer proximity to the anus. The discovery of antibiotics against UTIs plays a crucial role in controlling this urologic disease but the increasing levels of resistance within the bacterial population are compromising the effectiveness of antibiotics. In view of that, my research aims to investigate the antimicrobial effects of culinary spices against six of the commonly isolated UTIs-causing pathogens, namely Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniaee and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. My study discovered that the Illicium verum (Clove) extract demonstrated stronger antimicrobial activities as compared to Syzygium aromaticum (Star Anise) extract against five types of UTI-causing pathogens: Proteus mirabilis (19.7 ± 0.6mm) > Staphylcoccus epidermidis (18mm) > Staphylococcus aureus (14.7 ± 0.6mm) > Escherichia coli (12.7 ± 0.6mm) > Klebsiella pneumoniaee (12.3 ± 0.6mm) arranged according to the size of inhibition zone obtained. Clove Ethanolic Extract (CEE) is able to inhibit two of the selected pathogens even at a low concentration, with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 0.313 mg/mL. In addition to my studies, it was discovered that eugenol, the major bioactive compound presence in Clove will produce a better antimicrobial when it synergize with other bioactive compound presence in CEE compare to itself. Hence, CEE possessed tremendous potential to be harnessed into the next therapeutic remedy against urinary tract infections.