With the rise of typhoid fever cases, primarily caused by Salmonella typhi, and the increasing resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to multiple antibiotics, these challenging highlights the urgent needs for effective alternative treatments. This study investigated the antibacterial properties of Curcuma longa (turmeric) and Zingiber officinale (ginger) extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi. Traditional herbal medicine offers potential solutions, with turmeric and ginger being notable for the antimicrobial properties due to the active compounds' curcumin and gingerols, respectively. An experimental research design was employed, utilizing both crude and aqueous extracts of the rhizomes of these plants. The extracts were tested at concentrations of 100%, 85%, 65%, 40%, and 20% to determine their spectrophotometric absorbance readings against the target bacteria. Ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin were used as positive controls, while Sterile Mueller Hinto Broth with bacterial suspension served as the negative control. The study aimed to build on previous research exploring both individual and combined effects of these extracts. The results indicated that crude extracts of turmeric and ginger were effective against Staphylococcus aureus at all tested concentrations, with the highest concentration (100%0 demonstrating the greatest efficacy. In contrast, aqueous extracts of both plants showed no significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, neither crude nor aqueous extracts revealed no significant difference between the effectiveness of crude extracts and positive controls in inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus. However, there was a significant difference in the effectiveness of both crude and aqueous extracts compared to positive controls in inhibiting Salmonella typhi. All in all, the study confirms that crude extracts of Curcuma longa and Zingiber officinale possess significant antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus, with higher concentrations yielding better results. The aqueous extracts, however, were ineffective against Salmonella typhi. These findings suggest that high concentration crude extracts of turmeric and ginger could serve as alternative treatments for Staphylococcus aureus infections. Further research is necessary to explore and enhance the efficacy of these extracts against Salmonella typhi, potentially leading to more effective bactericidal solutions.

College of Health Sciences Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology