ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY TESTING OF CALABASH (CRESCENTIA CUJETE)EXTRACT FORMULATED AS BAR SOAP AGAINST PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

Abstract

Bacterial infections are considered a major health concern in countries worldwide, including the Philippines. Researchers have investigated the antibacterial activity of herbal plants for the production of antibacterial soaps; however, relatively few studies have focused on the potential of Calabash (Crescentia cujete) extract as an antibacterial agent. Hence, this study was conducted to utilize Crescentia cujete extract in the formulation of an antibacterial bar soap and to evaluate its antibacterial activity against a specific pathogen. An experimental research design was utilized, as it was the most appropriate method for accurately gathering data. Standard microbiological techniques, including the agar diffusion assay, were employed to evaluate the potential antibacterial effects of the herbal soap. Gram-negative bacteria were exposed to the soap at different concentrations, specifically 75% and 100%. Mueller-Hinton agar was used to test the antibacterial activity of the Calabash (Crescentia cujete) bar soap against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Calabash (Crescentia cujete) antibacterial soap was compared with a commercially available antibiotic (Ofloxacin) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results showed that the herbal antibacterial soap produced a limited zone of inhibition against the tested pathogen, suggesting partial inhibition of bacterial growth. Further investigation revealed that the soap did not exhibit antibacterial activity. Meanwhile, the results showed that the commercially available antibiotic (Ofloxacin) was more effective in inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa than the Crescentia cujete antibacterial bar soap. It is suggested that additional studies be conducted to evaluate the quality of the ingredients used in the soap formulation.