COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF OREGANO, CLOVE AND NEEM OIL USING THE DISC DIFFUSION METHOD

Abstract

The threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the biggest global health challenges of our time. Without prompt action, AMR is likely to become the leading cause of death in the world by 2050. The crisis is further fueled by the overuse of antibiotics, which has caused the emergence of multidrugresistant pathogens. Essential oils from plants have been receiving attention as alternatives to antimicrobial drugs due to their antimicrobial nature. This research paper set out to compare the antimicrobial activity of oregano oil, clove oil, and neem oil against the gram- negative pathogen Escherichia coli using the dis diffusion method. Oregano oil showed the highest antimicrobial activity with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 22 mm, followed by clove oil at 18 mm and neem oil at 13mm. The better performance of oregano oil is due to its active components,carvacrol and thymol, which disrupt microbial cell membranes. Clove oil which is rich in eugenol, also showed significant activity, while neem oil, containing limonoids and flavonoids, showed comparatively lower efficacy. These studies establish the possibility that essential oils can be prospective antimicrobial agents derived from natural sources that can potentially bring a solution in managingAMR. Further applications into both human therapy and industrial utilization must,therefore, be pursued.