Abstract

A STUDY ON INVITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF COCONUT WATER AND COCONUT OIL ON GRAM POSITIVE AND GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIA.

Dr. P. Durai Rajan* M.D., Dr. G. Sumathi M.D. and Dr. Sowmya Nasimuddin M.D.,

Abstract

The indiscriminate use of synthetic products has led us to the state of resistance and also provoked the need for natural products. The products from coconut were known to have antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor activity from time immerorial. Hence this study is undertaken to find out the antibacterial activity of coconut oil and coconut water against gram positive and gram negative bacteria isolated from clinical samples. Isolates numbering 100 (25 each of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) isolates were included in our study. Varied zone of inhibition were observed by coconut water at different concentrations and also by undiluted coconut oil against the pathogens. But none of them show any inhibitory effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The limitations in our study can further be overcome by using various extracts and with larger number of samples.

Keywords: Coconut oil, coconut water, antibacterial activity.