A preliminary investigation on the antimicrobial activity of <i>Luffa cylindrica</i> (Patola) leaf extract

Abstract

Four concentrations were prepared (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%) from the Patola (Luffa cylindrical) leaf extract. Positive and negative controls were made in order to have a basis for comparison with the other four Patola leaf extract concentrations. Negative controls were purely sterilized distilled water, while the positive controls used were Amoxicillin for bacteria and Mycostatin for Candida albicans. The effectiviness of these concentrations was tested on the growth of the five selected microorganisms, namely: Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, S. saprophyticus, C. albicans and Microsporum canis. M. canis did not exhibit any growth and had no significant difference. Patola was found to inhibit the growth of S. aureus, S. epidermidis and S. saprophyticus at 100% concentration. Patola leaf concentration of 75% weakly inhibited the growth of S. epidermidis and S. aureus. Concentrations of 50%, and 25% showed negative inhibitory activity. Candida albicans in all four concentrations showed negative inhibitory activities. The minimum inhibitory activity that was able to inhibit bacterial growth was at 75% leaf extract concentration.