Antibacterial Effect of Capsicum frutescens on Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia

This study was conducted to determine the antibacterial property of wild pepper (Capsicum frutescens) in terms of zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia in comparison to an established antibiotic, ofloxacin.Experimental design was used subjecting both bacteria of interest in two different experimental groups (75% and 100%) concentrations of the wild pepper capsaicin extract and their susceptibility was measured by the diameter of the zone of inhibition in millimeters. F-test and t-test were used as statistical tools to determine the comparability and differences of results obtained from the measured zone of inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia. Capsaicin extract from Capsicum frutescens only had an intermediate antibacterial effect on both Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia on one replicate in 75% concentration. On the average, it was found that both test bacteria are resistant to the capsaicin. Ofloxacin as a standard treatment certainly has a greater antibacterial effect on the test bacteria compared to capsaicin. Thus, the amount of capsaicin present in the fruit variety used is not enough to produce the same effect shown by ofloxacin.

Keywords:  Capsaicin, Capsicum frutescens, Antibacterial effect, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia