Antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extracts of Moringa oleifera against bacterial pathogens

Agricultura y Silvicultura

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33936/la_tecnica.v16i2.8316

Keywords:

Moringa oleifera, aquaculture, plant extracts, antimicrobial activity, bacterial pathogens.

Abstract

Bacterial infections in fish are a problem that has increased with the use of new production systems. Several plants exhibit antimicrobial activity against fish pathogens. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extracts of Moringa oleifera (apical part, leaflets, seed coat, and seed cake) against 12 bacterial pathogens isolated from fish and shrimp using the agar diffusion method. Sixteen extracts were prepared by varying the ethanol concentration (30 and 70%) and the solute/solvent ratio (1/10 and 1/30); their phytochemical profiles were previously characterized. Leaf extracts (70% ethanol, 1/10 ratio) showed the greatest inhibitory activity, with halos of up to 17 mm against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-00034 and 15 mm against Vibrio alginolyticus, inhibiting 60% of the isolates tested. In contrast, the apical extracts showed minimal efficacy (active only against Streptococcus sp. ATCC-15185), despite their high polyphenol content (512.48 mg EAG·g-1). The hull and seed bran were primarily effective against V. harveyi. The results demonstrate that the M. oleifera plant exhibits antimicrobial activity against a wide range of bacterial genera isolated from fish. However, sensitivity results vary depending on the bacterial species tested, the plant part, the solvent concentration, and the solute/solvent ratio.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alikwe, P. C., Ohimain, E. I., Zige, D. V. and Angaye, T. N. (2013). Antibacterial activity of ethanol extract of the defatted seed and seed coat of Moringa oleifera. Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences, 8, 38-41. https://doi.org/10.9790/3008-0813841

Amou, B., Ajayi, T. O. and Dada-Adegbola, H. O. (2025). Antimicrobial activity of Terminalia leiocarpa Baill. and Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr. root bark extracts in resistant clinical isolates. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research, 13(2), 633-646.

Apenteng-Takyiako, S., Takyi, C. A. A., Chama, M. A., Osei, M. M., Donkor, E. S. and Futagbi, G. (2025). In vitro antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera leaf and seed extracts against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and clinical isolates. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 25(1), 257. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-05006-6

Arce, Z., Aguinaga, A. B., Sanchez, E. H., Zulueta, M. G. S., Acuña, D. R., Farro, E. S. y Osores, S. A. I. (2020). Efecto inhibitorio del extracto de semilla de Moringa oleifera sobre Escherichia coli β-lactamasas de espectro extendido. Medicina Naturista, 14(1), 91-94.

Arora, D. S. and Onsare, J. G. (2014). Antimicrobial potential of Moringa oleifera seed coat and its bioactive phytoconstituents. Korean Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 42, 152-161.

Bauer, A.W., Kirby, W. M., Sherris, J. C. and Turck, M. (1966) Antibiotic susceptibility testing by a standardized single disk method. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 45, 493-496.

Baniesmaeili, Y., Akbarzadeh, A., Abdollahi, F. and Niroomand, M. (2023). Effectiveness of dietary Moringa oleifera leaf powder and extract in the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 22(3), 547-565. https://doi.org/10.22092/ijfs.2023.129278

Brilhante, R. S. N., Sales, J. A., de Souza Sampaio, C. M., Barbosa, F. G., Paiva, M. D. A. N., de Melo Guedes, G. M. and Rocha, M. F. G. (2015). Vibrio spp. from Macrobrachium amazonicum prawn farming are inhibited by Moringa oleifera extracts. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 8(11), 919-922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtm.2015.10.012

Cabrera-Carrión, J. L., Jaramillo-Jaramillo, C., Dután-Torres, F., Cun-Carrión, J., García, P. A. y Rojas de Astudillo, L. (2017). Variación del contenido de alcaloides, fenoles, flavonoides y taninos en Moringa oleifera Lam. en función de su edad y altura. Bioagro, 29(1), 53-60.

Celikel, N. and Kavas, G. (2008). Antimicrobial properties of some essential oils against some pathogenic microorganisms. Czech Journal of Food Sciences-UZPI (Czech Republic), 26(3), 174-181. DOI: 10.17221/1603-CJFS.

CLSI. (2025). Performance Standars for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. 35th ed. CLSI supplement M100. Wayne, PA: Clinical and Laboratory Institute.

Costa, R., Sousa, O. V. D., Hofer, E., Mafezoli, J., Barbosa, F. G. and Vieira, R. H. S. D. F. (2017). Thiocarbamates from Moringa oleifera seeds bioactive against virulent and multidrug‐resistant Vibrio species. BioMed Research International, 2017(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/7963747

Da Silva, J. G., de Barros, M., de Lima Santos, N. D., Paiva, P. M. G., Napoleão, T. H., de Sena, M. J. and Mota, R. A. (2020). Antimicrobial activity of polypyrrole nanoparticles and aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera against Staphylococcus spp. carriers of multi-drug efflux system genes isolated from dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Research, 87(3), 309-314. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029920000874

Emmanuel, S. A., Olajide, O. O., Abubakar, S., Idowu, I. D., Orishadipe, A. T. and Thomas, S. A. (2014). Phytochemical and antimicrobial studies of methanol, ethyl acetate, and aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera seeds. American Journal of Ethnomedicine, 1(5), 346-354.

Estay-Moyano, C., Mazón-Suástegui, J. M., Zapata, E., Simal-Gandara, J. y Lodeiros, C. (2021). Análisis del perfil lipídico y aminoacídico de hojas deshidratadas de Moringa oleifera (L.) y su potencial como suplemento dietético en acuicultura de moluscos. La Técnica, Edición Especial, 30-39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33936/la_tecnica.v0i0.3061

Farhan, S. R., AL-Azawi, A. H. and AL-Shamary, E. I. (2021). The antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera extracts against some foodborne pathogens. Medico-Legal Update, 21(3), 487. https://doi.org/10.37506/mlu.v21i3.3035

Flores, B., Ramírez, E., Moncada, A., Salinas, N., Fischer, R., Hernández, C. and Balcázar, J. L. (2022). Antimicrobial effect of Moringa oleifera seed powder against Vibrio cholerae isolated from the rearing water of shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) postlarvae. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 74(2), 238-246. https://doi.org/10.1111/lam.13604

García-Pérez, J., Ulloa-Rojas, J. B. y Mendoza-Elvira, S. (2021). Patógenos bacterianos y su resistencia a los antimicrobianos en los cultivos de tilapia en Guatemala. Uniciencia, 35(2), 46-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.15359/ru.35-2.4

Guerrero Hurtado, J. D. C., Ortiz Rubio, Z. M., Peralta Berrospi, L. F. y Pérez Azahuanche, F. R. (2013). Actividad antibacteriana de Pelargonium peltatum (L.) L'Hér. sobre Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis y Streptococcus mitis frente a clorhexidina. Revista Cubana de Plantas Medicinales, 18(2), 224-236.

González Minero, F. J. (2018). Un estudio transversal de Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae). Dominguezia, 5-25.

He, Z., Webster, S. and He, S. Y. (2022). Growth–defense trade-offs in plants. Current Biology, 32(12), R634-R639.

Hill-Esquivel, Y., García-Mesa, L., Almora-Hernández, E., Lago-Abascal, V., Rodríguez-Jiménez, E. y Pereira-Cuní, L. B. (2025). Caracterización fitoquímica y actividad antioxidante de extractos de diferentes partes de Moringa oleífera. Ingeniería Agrícola, 15. https://cu-id.com/2284/v15e19. https://revistas.unah.edu.cu/index.php/IAgric/article/view/2090

Jahan, S., Shahjahan, M., Rasna, S. S., Aktar, M., Sultana, S., Ahmed, S. M. and Nahar, S. (2022). Antibacterial effect of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf ethanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Mymensingh Medical Journal: MMJ, 31(4), 976-982.

Krieg, N. R. and Holt, J. G. (1984). Bergey’s Manual of systematic bacteriology. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, London.

Külahci, M. B. and Çitak, S. (2025). Efflux pump-associated antimicrobial resistance genes in Staphylococcus spp. from dairy and meat samples. Turkish Journal of Biology, 49(7), 825-834. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0152.2783

Mapanao, R., Jiwyam, W., Khrueanet, W. and Nithikulworawong, N. (2021). Potential applications of dietary Moringa oleifera leaves as growth modulator and immunostimulant against Aeromonas hydrophila for farmed Oreochromis niloticus. Indonesian Aquaculture Journal, 16(2), 109-117. https://doi.org/10.15578/iaj.16.2.2021.109-117

Méndez, Y., Suárez, F.O., Verdecia, D.M., Herrera, R.S., Labrada, J.A., Murillo, B. and Ramírez, J.L. (2018). Bromatological characterization of Moringa oleifera foliage in different development stages. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science, 52(3), 337-346.

Pastrana-Puche, Y. I., Durango-Villadiego, A. L. B. A. and Acevedo-Correa, D. I. O. F. A. N. O. R. (2017). Antimicrobial effect of cloves and cinnamon on pathogens. Biotecnología en el Sector Agropecuario y Agroindustrial, 15(1), 56-65. https://doi.org/10.47750/jptcp.2022.871

Pérez, R., Romeu, B., Lastre, M., Morales, Y., Cabrera, O., Reyes, L. y Pérez, O. (2014). Immune-potentiators for the aquaculture. VacciMonitor, 23(1), 24-31.

Pérez, J. G. y Mora, D. M. (2021). Evaluación in vitro de extractos de plantas medicinales como posibles agentes antimicrobianos para bacterias patógenas en tilapia. Multidisciplinary Health Research, 27(57), 27-35. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6899-8036

Riyadi, F. M., Prajitno, A., Fadjar, M., Syaifurrisal, A. and Fauziyyah, A. I. (2021). Potential of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf extract to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria Edwardsiella tarda. Journal of Aquaculture and Fish Health, 10(3), 321. http://orcid.org/0.20473/jafh.v10i3.25057

Published

2026-09-24