Phytochemical Properties and Antimicrobial Activities of Aqueous Extract of Curcuma longa (Turmeric) Rhizome Extract

Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) is a native plant of Southern Asia and is cultivated extensively throughout the warmer parts of the world. The aim of the study was to determine the phytochemical properties and antimicrobial activities of Turmeric plant extract. The antimicrobial activities of the plant extract of Curcuma longa were determined using agar well diffusion method. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was tested at various concentrations of 0 g/ml, 0.1 g/ml, 0.15 g/ml and 0.2 g/ml respectively against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The zone of inhibition exhibited by ethanol extract against the test organisms ranged from 11.0 to 26.00 mm. The zone of inhibition exhibited by the aqueous extract ranged from 13.0 mm to 21.33 mm. The tetracycline standard antibiotic showed the highest grand inhibitory effect of 29.67 mm followed by the ethanol extract which showed 26.00 mm. The phytochemical screening revealed that the plant extract contained saponins, tannins, flavonoids, phenols and steroids. Turmeric plant shows antimicrobial potential and may be of great use to pharmaceutical industries for the development of medicines to cure ailments.