IN-VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ALOE VERA STEM CRUDE EXTRACT AGAINST PATHOGENIC BACTERIA: STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES

Infectious diseases caused by bacteria remain a major public health concern, and searching for alternative antimicrobial agents from medicinal plants is essential. Aloe vera is a widely used medicinal plant known for its therapeutic properties, including skin care and antimicrobial activity. This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of Aloe vera stem crude extracts against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-25923) and Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC-19615). Crude extracts were prepared by maceration using chloroform, acetone, and ethanol as solvents. Extract yield was determined, and antibacterial activity was assessed using the disk diffusion method at concentrations of 100, 200, and 300 mg/ml. Ciprofloxacin and tetracycline were used as positive controls, while dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) served as a negative control. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the serial dilution method. Among the solvents, ethanol produced the highest extract yield of 0.8%. All extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity against the tested pathogens, with the chloroform extract showing the strongest inhibitory effect. Stem chloroform and sptem acetone extract have better minimum inhibitory concentrations (50 mg/ml). These findings suggest that Aloe vera stem extracts possess potential antibacterial properties and may serve as a source of alternative antimicrobial agents.