Bacteriocidal efficacy of Aloe vera  (Burm L.) against mastitis pathogens  Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus  aureus and Escherichia coli in–vitro

Chikwanda. D.; Nyamushamba. G.B; Matondi. G.H.M.; Marandure.T.; Chikwanda. A.T.; Imbayarwo–Chikosi V.E.; Masunda B.; Masama; E.; Chiwara; A.

Volume : II, Issue : X, October - 2013

Bacteriocidal efficacy of Aloe vera (Burm L.) against mastitis pathogens Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in–vitro

Chikwanda. D. , Nyamushamba. G. B, Matondi. G. H. M. , Marandure. T. , Chikwanda. A. T. , Imbayarwo Chikosi V. E. , Masunda B. , Masama, E. , Chiwara, A.

Abstract :

The efficacy of Aloe–vera on mastitis pathogens Staphylococcus aureas, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli was determined in–vitro. 1 �ml of each of the bacterial organelles were randomly placed in 24 different petri–dishes using a sterile pipette. The petri dishes were randomly allocated to a positive (Gentamycin) and negative (Methanol) control and seven treatments (25%, 50% and 75% w/v concentrations of distilled water–Aloe vera and methanol–Aloe vera leaf extracts) with each treatment replicated three times in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Muller Hinton was used as growth media. Reaction time of 30 minutes was allowed for all samples and incubation was done for 72 hours at 37?C. After incubation, bacterial colonies per plate were counted and total bacterial counts calculated. Data was subjected to non–parametric Friedman�s 2–way analysis of variance in SAS Version 9.1.3 (SAS, 2004). Total bacterial counts (TBC) were converted to ranks through the PROC FREQ and PROC RANK procedures. Treatment effects were then determined with the general linear model procedure (PROC GLM) of SAS (2004). Means were compared using the lsmeans procedure. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in TBC ranks among bacteria exposed to Gentamycin and methanol, however, these two had the lowest TBC compared to methanol–Aloe vera and in distilled water–Aloe vera leaf extracts. TBC ranks were significantly lower (P < 0.05) methanol–Aloe vera leaf extracts than in distilled water Aloe vera leaf extracts. Aloe vera exhibits some antibacterial properties but is not as efficient as commercial products.