ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF MORINGA OLEIFERA

Moringa oleifera, belongs to the Moringaceae family, is an indigenous plant and native to the North India region, Also known as the miracle tree, is a rich source of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds with medicinal potential. This study employed Soxhlet extraction using 90% ethanol to obtain crude extracts from dried powdered Moringa leaves. The extraction yielded a high amount of phytochemicals, including phenolics and flavonoids. The antibacterial activity of the extract was evaluated against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria using the Kirby-Bauer well diffusion method. The extract demonstrated concentration-dependent antibacterial effects, with the highest inhibition observed at 100 µl, showing greater sensitivity in S. aureus compared to the Gram-negative strains. This difference is attributed to structural variations in bacterial cell walls influencing phytochemical permeability. The findings highlight Moringa oleifera as a promising natural antibacterial agent, particularly effective against Gram-positive bacteria. Further studies are recommended to isolate active compounds and elucidate their mechanisms of action.