ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ALLIUM SATIVUM, ALLIUM CEPA, ALLIUM PORRUM, (LILIACEAE) AGAINST ENTERIC PATHOGENS (ENTEROBACTERIACEA)

Extract of garlic (Allium sativum), onion (Allium cepa) and leek (Allium porrum) were tested in an agar diffusion test for their growth inhibitory effect on 7 enteric pathogen bacteria. These included species of E Coli 0124, E Coli 0111, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella Havana, Salmonella para A, Shigella flexneri and Shigella dysentriae. All test organisms were inhibited by garlic extract, while onion and leek extracts showed no effects upon enteric pathogen bacteria. The MIC values obtained for garlic extract against seven enteric pathogens were 11.25–360 μg/ml. It inhibited the growth of 7 entric pathogen bacteria, which were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The antibacterial property of the extract was compeletly inactivated at 100°C within 15 minutes. However, the degree of inhibition of garlic extract diminished with time.