Antibacterial Activities of Tiger Nuts Extracts against Bacteria Isolated from Diarrheagenic Stools Obtained from Selected Hospitals in Akure, Nigeria

Diarrheal diseases remain a global health burden, especially in developing countries where antibiotic resistance complicates treatment. This study investigated the antibacterial activities of n-hexane and ethanolic extracts of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) against bacterial isolates obtained from diarrheagenic stool samples collected from selected hospitals in Akure, Nigeria. Stool samples were collected, and bacteria in the samples were isolated and identified using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the isolates were determined using disc diffusion method. Ethanolic and n-hexane extracts of tiger nut were prepared and tested for antibacterial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were also determined to quantify the efficacy of the extracts. The results revealed the presence of bacterial isolates including Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus, and Citrobacter. Furthermore, fluoroquinolones demonstrated high inhibitory activity against Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus. Gram negative bacterial isolates were resistant to amoxicillin and augmentin. The n-hexane and ethanolic extracts exhibited significant antibacterial activity against the isolated bacteria. Notably, the ethanolic extract showed higher antibacterial activity compared to the n-hexane extract of tiger nut. The MIC values ranged from 60 - 80 mg/ml and the MBC values ranged from 70 - 90 mg/ml. Bioactive phytochemicals such as flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids were detected in the extracts. The findings of this study suggests that ethanolic extracts of tiger nut possess notable antibacterial properties and may serve as a promising complementary therapy to combat multiple antibiotic resistant diarrheagenic bacteria.