THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE FLOWER EXTRACT OF Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. (ZOBO FLOWER) ON SOME FREQUENTLY ISOLATED BACTERIA

Aim: this study aimed to determine the antimicrobial activity of hibiscus sabdariffa (zobo) flower extract on bacterial isolates. With the rise of the global prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, medicinal plants have garnered considerable attention as a promising source for discovering new antibacterial drugs.place and duration of study: hibiscus sabdariffaflower was obtained from the fruit garden market, d/line, port harcourt, and verified by a plant taxonomist, this study lasted between february 2024 and december 2024mehodology:blended flowers of hibiscus sabdariffa were prepared as ethanol and aqueous extract. Branded and unbranded commercial zobo drinks were purchased from the supermarket and mile 3 market, respectively. The preparations were tested against isolates of staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pyogenes, escherichia coli, klebsiella pneumoniae, proteus spp., and pseudomonas spp obtained from alfrose diagnostic medical center, rumuigbo, port harcourt using agar disc diffusion and direct inoculation methods at 24- and 72-hours intervals. Result: results revealed a 12 mm zone of inhibition (zoi) for s. Pyogenes and proteus spp. Which were the highest, 10 mm zoi for s. Aureus followed by 8 mm zoi for e. Coli, k. Pneumoniae, and pseudomonas spp. The minimum inhibitory concentration (mic) for test organisms was generally 1:10 dilution (32 mg/ml) for all organisms. Ethanolic extract showed increased antibacterial activity compared to aqueous extracts including branded and unbranded zobo drinks. Conclusion: this present study on hibiscus sabdariffa extracts showed it possess antimicrobial activity at higher concentrations. I, therefore, recommend the flower of hibiscus sabdariffa to most pharmaceutical companies to be included in the preparation of their drugs.