Abstract:


"Background: Lemongrass is a medicinal plant with significant applications in managing various conditions. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil (EO) has gained attention for its antimicrobial properties. This is attributed to its rich composition of bioactive compounds such as geranial, and citral as the major compound. This study aims to extract essential oils from lemongrass plants and examine their antibacterial activity against odour-causing Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Method: This was a laboratory-based experimental study conducted at CUHAS-MPL in Mwanza for one month. The leaves were collected from the Misungwi District in the Mwanza Region. The essential oil was extracted by the hydro-distillation method using the Clevenger apparatus. Then the extracted essential oil was further utilized to study its antibacterial activity in a human pathogen, namely Staphylococcus epidermidis (gram-positive bacteria).

Results: Increased antibacterial activity was observed with increasing concentrations of the test extract. The results showed that at 10,000 ppm concentration, the essential oil exhibited the highest zone of inhibition of approximately 25 mm against Staphylococcus epidermidis. The inhibition zone decreased with lower concentrations, indicating a dose-dependent antibacterial effect. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was observed at 150 ppm where by the visible growth of the Staphylococcus epidermidis was inhibited.

Conclusion: From this study, the data suggest that the lemongrass EO exhibits in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, hence a natural, effective additive ingredient remedy for armpit odour."