Journal Article

Screening of Honeys for Antibacterial Potential against Multi-Drug Resistant Clinical Salmonella Species

Abstract

The development of resistance to conventional antibiotics, fluoroquinolone and emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria of medical importance had prompted us to investigate the antibacterial activities of honeys on MDR Salmonella isolates. A total of 8 clinical Salmonella isolates were obtained from Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano-Nigeria. The isolates were reconfirmed through cultural and biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility test was carried out to determine the isolates susceptibility patterns and multidrug resistant isolates using agar disk diffusion method. Sensitivities of the MDR isolates to light and dark honeys were determined using agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the honeys against the isolates were also determined. The isolates collected were 100% and 50% susceptible to ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol respectively. However, they were 100% and 87.5% resistant to ampicillin and trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazol respectively. Seven (87.5%) of the isolates collected were found to be multi-drug resistant. This study indicated that both honeys had growth inhibitory effect on all the tested MDR Salmonella isolates. The isolates were sensitive to 20-75% concentrations of both honeys. Increasing the honey concentration significantly (p<0.05) increased the zone diameter of inhibition. Dark honey was more potent than light honey in inhibitory effect. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of dark honey was 6.25%, while that of light honey was 12.5%. The Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of dark honey was 12.5%, while that of light honey was 25.0%. Since both honeys were found to have inhibitory effect on the MDR Salmonella isolates, they could be used as alternative therapeutic agents against Salmonella isolates.

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