A PROJECT WORK ON

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF EWA (Solanium

nigurum) LEAVES USING Escherichia coli AND Staphylococcus aureus AS TEST
ORGANISM

BY
MADU JANE IFEDILICHUKWU

IMT/SLT/STH/H2018/066

TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE LABORATORY

TECHNOLOGY (BIOCHEMISTRY OPTION), INSTITUTE OF
MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (IMT) ENUGU.

SUPERVISOR: DR MRS. ADA, IKEYI

APRIL 2021

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 TITLE PAGE
AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF EWA (Solanium
nigurum) LEAVES USING Escherichia coli AND Staphylococcus aureus AS TEST
ORGANISM

BY
MADU JANE IFEDILICHUKWU

IMT/SLT/STH/H2018/066

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE

LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY (BIOCHEMISTRY OPTION)

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

AWARD OF HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA (HND) IN SCIENCE
LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY, INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
AND TECHNOLOGY (IMT), ENUGU

Supervisor: DR MRS. ADA, IKEYI

APRIL, 2021

ii
 APPROVAL PAGE

This is to certify that this project titled “An investigation into the antibacterial
effect of Solanium nigurum using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as
test organism” has been accepted and approved for submission to the
department of SLT ( biochemistry option) IMT Enugu for the award of HND . It is
original and has not been submitted to any other department of the Institute or
any other tertiary institution.

Dr. Mrs Ada Ikeyi DATE

(Supervisor)

Mr. Agama M.U DATE

(HOD, SLT DEPARTMENT)

EXTERNAL EXAMINER DATE

DEDICATION

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This project is dedicated to the Almighty God who gave me the inspiration and
knowledge to embark on this research work

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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My sincere appreciation goes to God Almighty for His assistance in all
ramification, for given me the knowledge, God health to be able to accomplish
this research.
I must specifically express my gratitude to my project supervisor Dr (Mrs) Ada
Ikeyi who is the brain behind the successful completion of this project work by
virtue of her untiring guidance, time encouragement. I am obliged to say thank
you, may the good Lord bless you.
Also my profound gratitude to Mr Agama Michael. U. the Head of department
(HOD), science laboratory Technology (IMT) Enugu for giving me the opportunity
to carry out this project.
To my beloved husband Kelvin Ogbonna for his encouragement, moral and
financial support. May God bless you.
Also my sincere appreciation goes to my parents, siblings and friend for their
financial support and moral contributions towards my education, may God bless
them.
Finally, to all those who rendered assistance in one way or the other, whose
names cannot be mentioned her, I appreciate all your effort in all ramifications
may God Almighty bless you all.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

Table of Content

Title page ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgment v

Tables of content vi

Abstract viii

Introduction 1

1.1 Statement of problem 4

1.2 Justification of study 4

1.3 Aim and objective 5

1.4 Limitation 5

2.0 Literature review 6

2.1. Profile/Taxonomy of Solanum nigurum 8

2.2 Pharmacological activity 9

2.2.0. Anti-Tumor effect 9

2.2.1. Anti-cancer activity 10

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2.2.2. Anti-oxygenic activity 11

2.2.3. Anti-stress effect 11

2.2.4. Anti-allergic effect 12

2.2.5. Anti-ulcer activity 12

2.2.6. Anti-microbial activity 12

2.2.7. Protective effect 14

2.2.8. Anti-diabetic activity 15

2.2.9 Estrogenic activity 15

2.3 Cultivation and propagation 15

3.1 Materials 16

3.1.1 Equipment. 16

3.1.2 Reagents and Chemical 17

3.2 Methods 17

3.2.1 Sample collection 17

3.2.2. Sample preparation 17

3.4. Sensitivity of Bacteria to Solanium nigrum Extract 22

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4.0 Result 24

5.1 Discussion 27

5.2 Conclusion 28

5.3 Recommendations 29

References 30

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 ABSTRACT

The present study aimed at evaluating the anti-bacterial potential of aqueous and
methanolic extracts of Solanum nigrum, The susceptibility of microbial strains to
the two extracts was determined using agar well diffusion method. The bacterial
strains employed were Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. A dose
dependent increase in the antibacterial activity was observed with both the
methanol and aqueous extracts. Highest antibacterial activity was exhibited by
aqueous extract with Escherichia coli followed by Staphylococcus aureus
Methanolic extract showed highest antibacterial activity the aqueous extract
exhibits the highest antibacterial potential. The study concludes that the plant
possess novel compounds with significant antibacterial properties. Isolation and
characterization of these novel compounds could provide potent anti-bacterial
agents to combat pathogenic infections. Solanum nigrum extract using agar well
method and disc diffusion method was observed to show some degree of inhibition
which varied with the organisms tested and between solvents with the aqueous
extracts demonstrating the highest activity against all the test bacteria. Solanum
nigrum (Ewa) play an important role in traditional medicines which is a widely
used in oriental medicine where it is considered to be an anti- tumorigenic, anti
oxidant , anti- convulsant anti- inflammatory , hepatoprotective, diuretic and anti
pyretic agent the juice of the plant used on ulcer and other skin diseases in Nigeria.

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