Title: Research on the effect of azithromycin on the growth rate of Solenostemon scutellarioides

Student code: hzn090

May 2022

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Table of content

Introduction……………………………………………………………....3

Research question………………………………………………………..4

Hypothesis…………………………………………………………….....4

Materials…………………………………………………………………4

Method…………………………………………………………………...4

Variables………………………………………………………………....5

Results…………………………………………………………………....6

Conclusion……………………………………………………………….9

References……………………………………………………………….10

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Introduction

Antibiotics are essential for controlling bacterial plant diseases. Antibiotics are used when the

risk of illness is high. Antibiotics are lively on plant life for much less than a week, and extensive

residues have now no longer been located on harvested fruit (Stockwell, 2012). Humans have

two lines of defense to be used when pathogen try to invade our bodies, the first being the skin,

mucous, and sebaceous glands, and the second line of defense consist of phagocytes and

lymphocytes. In most cases, the body is capable of taking care of foreign invaders on its own, but

sometimes it doesn't recognize them and starts to get affected. In order to help prevent the

worsening of our body due to these pathogens, humans have created antibiotics. Antibiotics are

used to fight with the bacteria and foreign organisms in our body in order to maintain our health.

Antibiotics helps us to kill or prevent the bacteria from growing. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is the

primary target of antibiotics that slows down protein synthesis and later on deteriorates the health

of the invaders.

The most vital process in order for organisms to thrive is growth. A successful growth is

important in the sense that all of the features of that organism are developed. In the case of

plants, their roots are the most important in terms of processing and absorbing nutrients from the

surrounding environment and staying healthy. With the use of Azithromycin, the effect - whether

positive or negative - of this antibiotic on the growth of plants can be observed.

This experiment will aim to see the effects of these antibiotics on plants. Using the antibiotics, I

will see what visible effects can be seen when a specific plant (Solenostemon scutallerioides in

this case) has antibiotics administered into its system.

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During this experiment I will be using azithromycin to determine the effects of specific

concentrations of antibiotics on the plant growth of Solenostemon scutallerioides since it is a

common house plant.

Research question

To what extent does azithromycin affect the plant growth of Solenostemon scutallerioides?

Hypothesis:

I hypothesize that the more azithromycin I administer to the plant specimen, the plants will

deteriorate sooner and the medication will negatively affect them. Since azithromycin is used to

fight against bacterial infections by preventing bacteria from reproducing, it is possible that the

cells of the plant will be affected too and will start to die. I believe that the color, size, growth

rate, and strength of the plants are the factors that will be affected, with growth rate and strength

being affected the most.

Materials

 9 Solenostemon suctellarioides

 Electronic balance
 Azithromycin pill

 250 ml water

 2 plastic cups

 Measuring spoon

Method

For this process, there were three groups.

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 1. One of the groups is my control group which will not contain any azithromycin and the

other two are my test groups which will have azithromycin added while watering them.

The test groups will be divided and categorized based on the concentration of

azithromycin that will be administered to them. The initial test group will have around

250mg of azithromycin to be added to the water. The last group would have 500mg of

the azithromycin antibiotic added to the water.

2. They were watered on a two-day basis since it was winter with 250 ML water.

3. The effects were observed on a daily basis and the changes were written down.

Variables

Table 1.0- Table showing the independent and dependent variables in the experiment

Independent variable Concentration of azithromycin

1: 0.00

2: 250 mg

3: 500 mg

Dependent variable Plant growth

Controlled variables Room temperature

Amount of water
30 days of experiment
Good amount of sunlight
Same humidity for all

Table 1.0 showing the results of the Azithromycin concentrations on the plants
Concentration 0.00 mg The group with 0 mg of Azithromycin had grown a
bit from the first day and the leaves are opening
more as it passes without any specific kind of
effect because only water was administered.

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 Concentration 250 mg The group with 250 mg of Azithromycin had
withered a bit and had small holes in the leaves
but they didn't fall. The color of the leaves is still
fading day to day.

Concentration 500 mg The group with 500 mg of Azithromycin had

withered a lot and caused even bigger holes in the
leaves. The leaves were turning black with the
stem of the flower losing its color too.

This shows that there is a positive correlation with the amount of azithromycin and the

deterioration of the plants. The more azithromycin that has been administered to the plants

caused them to die sooner. Generally, the overall effect of the medication was that the color of

the leaves started to change from green to yellow, the health of the stems and roots decreased and

they became weaker, and then some groups died.

Results

Table 1.1 raw data gathered from Azithromycin effects on group 1 specimen

Sample Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Length (cm) Length (cm) Length (cm) Length (cm)

A 8.00 9.00 10.50 12.30

B 8.50 9.30 10.90 12.00

C 7.84 9.10 11.30 12.60

Table 1.2 raw data gathered from Azithromycin effects on group 2 specimen

Sample Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Length (cm) Length (cm) Length (cm) Length (cm)

A 8.20 8.90 9.30 9.80

B 7.90 9.00 9.50 10.30

C 8.60 9.10 9.40 10.00

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Table 1.3 raw data gathered from Azithromycin effects on group 3 specimen

Sample Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Length (cm) Length (cm) Length (cm) Length (cm)

A 8.00 8.00 9.00 9.50

B 8.00 8.40 8.90 9.30

C 8.40 8.00 9.00 9.30

Group 1 specimen height (cm)

14

12

10

0
Sample A Sample B Sample C

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

The first group with no Azithromycin had a positive correlation and the plants were growing

every week and it was recorded.

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 Group 2 specimen height (cm)
12

10

0
Sample A Sample B Sample C

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

The second group which was with 250 mg of Azithromycin had grown a bit at the end of the

month but the plants were withered and the stems changed color.

Group 3 specimen height (cm)

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9.5

8.5

7.5

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Sample A Sample B Sample C

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

The last group with 500 mg of Azithromycin had grown a little over the month but the leaves and

stems were withered.

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 Chart Title
30

25

20

15

10

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

This graph shows the average growth rate for each plant in three different groups.

Conclusion

From the results of the experiment, I can conclude that as the concentration of the Azithromycin

increased the plant would get more withered and I could see the change of color. This showed

that the best environment for plants to grow is in the standard condition where there is no

external intervention. By getting the average of the plants growth for each group we could see

the difference that the group with 0 mg Azithromycin had with the last group with 500 mg of

Azithromycin. If I would want to repeat this experiment, I would have more test groups in order

to be more exact and use better measurements for the experiment.

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References
Stockwell, V. O., & Duffy, B. (2012). Use of antibiotics in plant agriculture. Revue scientifique
et technique (International Office of Epizootics), 31(1), 199–210.
https://doi.org/10.20506/rst.31.1.2104

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