Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Essential Oils of Crude Extracts of Sesame Radiatum against Some Common Pathogenic Micro-Organisms

Concern about the rising prevalence of antibiotics-resistant strains of pathogenic microorganisms has been expressed in the last three decades. However, intensive studies on extracts and biologically-active compounds isolated from medicinal plants have also doubled in the last decade. As a result of paucity of knowledge and folkloric claim on the leaves effectiveness in infectious disease treatments, we aimed to determine the antimicrobial activity of essential oils and lignans present in the crude Sesame radiatum leaves extracts. Ethanolic, Methanolic and Aqueous extracts of Sesame radiatum leaves were studied for their in-vitro antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative micro-organisms and Yeast using Agar diffusion method. The GC-MS phytochemical screening of methanolic extract showed the presence of carboxylic acids and phenolic groups in essential oils especially one of the most potent antioxidants like Sesamol, Sesamolin and Sesamin. Both the methanolic and ethanolic extracts have broad spectrum antimicrobial effect against all the tested micro-organisms except Streptococcus pneumoniae, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus respectively, while the aqueous extract exhibited no inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae except on Candida albicans. The result confirmed the folkloric claims of the antimicrobial effectiveness of locally consumed Sesame leaves extracts especially against bacterial and common skin infection in many areas of the Country (Nigeria).