Comparative Study of Antimicrobial Potentials of Seeed Oils of Jatropha Curcas and Tamarindus Indica

Abstract

Oils of the dry seeds of Jatropha curcas and Tamarindus indica plants grown in Nigeria were obtained by maceration using n-Hexane. GC/MS analysis was performed using a Shimadzu QP2010plus series gas chromatography coupled with Shimadzu QP2010 mass spectroscopy detector. Characterization of constituents was done by comparison with the MS library (NIST) and further confirmed by interpreting the observed fragmentation pattern. Comparison of the mass spectra with the database on MS library revealed about 90-95% match. The antimicrobial screening of the oils were also performed for oils from the species: Jatropha curcas (Jatropha seeds) which was active against Aspergillus niger and Tamarindus indica (Tamarind) which showed antimicrobial activity against staphylococcus and Escherichia coli The most common major constituents of the fixed oils: were 14-methyl pendecanoic acid methyl ester 13.71%, 11-octadecanoic acid methyl ester 23.68%, Heptacosanoic acid methyl ester 10.22% and 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester 17.44% for the Tamarindus indica While for Jatropha seeds oil 14- methylpentadecenoic acid methyl ester 12.31%, Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester 7.75%, 11- octadecanoic acid methyl ester 43.32% and 9- octadecenoic acid methyl ester 21.98% were obtained. Minimum inhibition concentrations of 12.50mg/ml were recorded for all test organisms by Jatropha seeds oil except for Escherichia coli which showed 6.25mg/ml. Both Tamarindus indica and Jatropha curcas showed minimum bactericidal activities at 12.50mg/ml were evaluated for all the samples. Recommendations for further research were also proffered.