ANTIBACTERIAL PROFILE OF FERMENTED SEED EXTRACTS OF RICINUS COMMUNIS: FINDINGS FROM A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

Summary: The study was carried out to ascertain the antibacterial properties inherent in fermented seed extracts of Ricinus communis. Dry seeds of R. communis (Castor oil plant) were deshelled, grounded to powder, fermented, and then extracted both with alcohol and water using Soxhlet machine. Different concentrations of the extracts were tested against selected bacteria using diffusion method of susceptibility testing on sensitivity testing agar medium. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus aureus were highly susceptible to both the methanol and water extracts of the seed while Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed reduced susceptibility. Enterococcus faecalis on the other hand was resistant to all the preparations tested. The active antimicrobial ingredients in fermented R. communis seeds should be identified while its medicinal value to humans properly investigated