Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Garlic (Allium sativum) against Common Pathogens

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used worldwide to fight microbial infections. Allium sativum, in vegetable form, exhibits a high potential against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. In the current study, antimicrobial effects of pure juice, aqueous extract, ethanolic extract, and dried powder of garlic in various concentrations (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%, respectively) against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus flavus were studied using the well diffusion technique. The results revealed that all extracts of garlic successfully inhibited the progression of E. coli, S. aureus, S. typhi, A. parasiticus, and A. flavus, while B. cereus was found to be resistant to garlic at all concentrations. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) observed against E. coli, S. typhi and A. parasiticus was 15 mg/ml, against S. aureus it was 05 mg/ml, and against A. flavus it was 20 mg/ml. Among the extracts, the antimicrobial efficacy of garlic juice was found to be better than its ethanolic extract, dried powder, and aqueous extract. It was concluded that garlic exhibits a high potential against various types of bacterial and fungal pathogens. Moreover, it also fulfills the criteria to be used as an antimicrobial agent.