Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHIOPIAN SPICES AND HONEY AGAINST STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES

Kothai, S*

ABSTRACT

Ethiopian dishes, beverages are subjugated with spices and in spite of wide use little has been done on the bioactive potential against oral pathogens especially S.pyogenes. Hence, antimicrobial activity of spices was analysed through agar well diffusion assay. Generally traditional medicines are prepared in combination of plants and with or without additives. Thus in this research the spice plants were combined with honey to evaluate whether the combined effect will be additive, synergistic or antagonistic. The results of the experiments revealed that, as a single plant extract, highest activity was showed by Nigella sativa and further combination with honey was antagonistic, however R.chalepensis showed highest ZOI when combined with brown as well as white honey followed by Allium ursenum, Cuminum cyminum, Cinamomum zeylanicum, Occimum basilicum, Occimum hodiense, Rosemarinus officinalis, Thymus schimperi and Zingiber officinale.

Keywords: Honey, spices, Nigella sativa, Ruta chalepensis.