PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING,ANTI MICROBIAL AND PESTICIDAL ACTIVITIES OF COMBINED RECIPE OF TUMERIC AND COCONUT OIL AGAINST SOME SELECTED BACTERIA AND PEST

ABSTRACT The research for natural alternatives to synthetic antimicrobials and pesticides has emphasized the value of medicinal plants and plant-based oils as bioactive molecules. This study examined the phytochemical content, antibacterial, and pesticidal properties of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of turmeric (Curcuma longa) and coconut oil (Cocos nucifera). Phytochemical analysis found that turmeric ethanol extract contains alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic chemicals, but its aqueous extract contained reducing sugars, glycosides, and saponins. Coconut oil extracts contained steroids, flavonoids, glycosides, and phenolics, whereas watery extracts contained reducing sugars and saponins. Antimicrobial experiments revealed that the ethanolic extracts had strong inhibitory effect, with coconut oil showing larger zones of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (8 mm) and Streptococcus pyogenes (10 mm) than turmeric (5 mm and 7 mm, respectively). Neither extract had an inhibiting impact on Salmonella typhi or Escherichia coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results shown activity against S. aureus and S. pyogenes at concentrations as low as 80 mg/ml, while the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) study revealed bacteriostatic effects at higher doses, particularly against S. pyogenes. These findings indicate the presence of a variety of bioactive chemicals in turmeric and coconut oil that contribute to moderate antibacterial effectiveness, implying a synergistic potential as natural antimicrobial and pesticidal agents. The findings give scientific support for their traditional use and future application in natural product-based formulations (DebMandal & Mandal, 2011; Okechukwu et al., 2022; Sharma et al., 2023).