AVOCADO

The leaves of Persea americana have been discovered to exert antimicrobial properties. The upsurging need for new antimicrobial formulations has driven the quest to formulate and test the compatibility of formulation excipients and avocado extract. The aim of this study is to determine and compare the antimicrobial activity of the ethanol avocado leaf extract of Persea americana and its balm formulation. Fresh Persea americana leaves were harvested, dried, pulverized and macerated in ethanol for a week. Phytochemical screening was carried out on the extract, after which it was formulated into balms (0, 100, 200, and 400 mg/ml). The different balm concentrations were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, using the ditch plate method. Ciprofloxacin was used as the positive control, and statistical significance was determined using ANOVA, with a significance level of P≤ 0.05. The ethanol plant extract was found to contain alkaloids, saponins, phenolics, triterpenoids, and flavonoids. The extract with (0, 100 mg/ml) showed no activity on the tested organisms. The extracts at 200 and 400 mg/ml exhibited antimicrobial activity ranging from 19 – 27 mm with the 400 mg/ml extract showing greater activity against the tested organisms. The balm formulation exerted reduced antibacterial activity compared to crude extract. The balm formulation with (0, 100 mg/ml) showed no activity, while the 200 and 400 mg/ml showed lesser activity ranging from 8 – 20 mm. Conclusively, the antimicrobial activity of the ethanol extract of avocado leaves was influenced by the balm formulation. This indicates that the interactions and compatibility of formulation excipients are crucial factors to consider when formulating herbal products.