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Research Article Volume 14 Issue 2
In vitro evaluation and mechanistic insights into the antimicrobial activity of Aframomum melegueta and Curcuma longa blends against wound isolates
Oludare Temitope Osuntokun, Kalama Mitchell
Received: May 19, 2026 | Published: June 19, 2026
Citation: Osuntokun OT, Mitchell K. In vitro evaluation and mechanistic insights into the antimicrobial activity of Aframomum melegueta and Curcuma longa blends against wound isolates. J Bacteriol Mycol Open Access. 2026;14(2):63-72. DOI: 10.15406/jbmoa.2026.14.00432
Abstract
This study investigates the antibacterial efficacy of plant extract extracted from Aframomum melegueta (Grains of Paradise) and Curcuma longa against clinical wound isolates collected from the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Health Centre in Ondo State, Nigeria. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to a renewed interest in traditional herbal remedies for alternative treatment options. The plant extract were extracted using ethanol and n-hexane using a rotary evaporator and tested at varying concentrations (100 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, 25 mg/ml, 12.5 mg/ ml, and 6.25 mg/ml). Antimicrobial assays, including zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), were conducted using the agar well diffusion method to evaluate their effectiveness against bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella ornithinolytica, Streptococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter haemolyticus. Results showed that Aframomum melegueta demonstrated stronger antibacterial activity, with an inhibition zone between 4-17mm at 100mg/ml compared to Curcuma longa, with an inhibition zone of between 6 to no inhibition at 100 mg/ml, particularly against Acinetobacter haemolyticus, with MIC of 12.5mg/ml and MBC of 25 mg/ml. Killing time assays done using a spectrophotometer at 600 wavelengths further indicated that higher concentrations of these oils were more effective in reducing bacterial growth. The study suggests that these plant-based extract could be potential alternatives to synthetic antibiotics for treating wound infections, especially in light of rising antibiotic resistance. Further research is recommended to explore the clinical applications, optimal extraction methods, and possible synergistic effects with conventional antibiotics.
Keywords: synergistic efficacy, aframomum melegueta, curcuma longa, plant extract
©2026 Osuntokun, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.