Effects of Organic Moringa Seed Oil Extraction Methods on Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties

Abstract

Moringa oleifera seed oil (MSO) is widely recognized for its medicinal properties, particularly its antimicrobial potential. This study investigates the influence of extraction methods hot extraction (MOH), cold extraction (MOC), and a control on the antibacterial and antifungal activities of MSO. Antibacterial assays revealed that the MOC extract exhibited the broadest and most potent activity, notably against Escherichia coli (15.5 mm inhibition zone) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (23.75 mm), outperforming MOH and the control. Conversely, MOH and the control showed more potent activity against Enterococcus faecalis, with inhibition zones of 14.5 mm and 24.5 mm, respectively. Overall, MSO demonstrated greater efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria (14.5–24.5 mm) than Gram-negative strains (13–25 mm), with statistically significant differences observed for E. coli and MRSA across extraction methods. Antifungal evaluations showed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 12.5 to 50 mg/mL, depending on the fungal isolate. While MOC and the control exhibited similar antifungal profiles, MOH displayed variable activity, reduced against Aspergillus flavus (MIC = 50 mg/mL) and enhanced against Trichoderma sp. These findings underscore the critical role of the extraction technique in modulating the antimicrobial and antifungal efficacy of Moringa seed oil, supporting its potential application as a natural therapeutic agent.