Comparative Antibacterial Efficacy of Aqueous and Ethanolic Turmeric Extracts versus Pure Curcumin against Uropathogenic Escherichia col
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65540/tna3tg05Keywords:
UTIs, coli, ethanolic extract, ethanolic turmeric extractAbstract
Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections, and Escherichia coli is a leading causative pathogen. Increasing antimicrobial resistance among uropathogenic E. coli has encouraged investigation of plant-derived compounds with potential antibacterial activity. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its principal bioactive constituent, curcumin, have been reported to exhibit antimicrobial effects in vitro. this study aimed to evaluate the in-vitro antibacterial activity of aqueous turmeric extract, ethanolic turmeric extract, and curcumin against E. coli isolates recovered from urine samples of patients with urinary tract infections. Methods This in-vitro laboratory study evaluated E. coli isolates obtained from urine samples of patients with urinary tract infections. Three test preparations were assessed: aqueous turmeric extract, turmeric extract prepared by maceration with 75% ethanol, and curcumin dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the disk-diffusion method at serial concentrations of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%.the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of curcumin were determined using the standard broth tube dilution assay. Inhibition-zone diameters,MIC,and MBC values were recordedand compared. The Results showed that ethanolic turmeric extract demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect against E. coli. In contrast, the aqueous turmeric extract showed minimal antibacterial activity. Curcumin demonstrated the greatest in-vitro antibacterial activity among the tested preparations exhibiting an MIC of 128 µg/mL and an MBC of 256 µg/mL. The differences in antibacterial activity among the tested preparations were statistically significant (P<0.001).
Conclusion, Ethanolic turmeric extract and curcumin demonstrated in-vitro antibacterial activity against urinary E. coli isolates, whereas the aqueous turmeric extract showed minimal activity. The limited activity of the aqueous extract may be related to the poor aqueous solubility and limited diffusion of curcuminoids. Further studies using standardized extract concentrations, appropriate solvent and antibiotic controls, and broth tube dilation assay methods to determine minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations are required before any clinical application can be considered.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Tahani Meftah Zaggout، Ahmed Mohamed Abushroud، Sakina Ahmed Badesh، Fatima Mohsen Al-Arbah، Amal ibrahim Swaid
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