Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of honey sample from Basrah region against certain microbial isolate. Different concentrations (25.0, 50.0, 75.0 and 100.0%) of honey sample where checked for their antimicrobial activities, using some medically important micro-organisms includingEscherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the honey sample were determined on the selected micro-organisms by using broth dilution technique. The sample of honey show inhibitory effect in vitro at 50, 75 and 100% concentration on the various investigated micro-organism except at 50% concentration where there was no inhibition zone on S. aureus. However, no effect was observed at 25% concentration. The MIC for E. coli, Pseudomonas spp. and S. aureus were 6.25, 1.5 and 12.5 mg/ml respectively. The study shows that honey, like antibiotics, has certain organisms sensitive to it, and provides alternative therapy against certain bacteria and is also shown to have antimicrobial action against a broad spectrum of bacteria (both gram-positive and -negative bacteria).

Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, honey, antibiotics, sensitivity, antimicrobial.