PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIBACTERIAL EVALUATION OF CURCUMA LONGA AND CURCUMA AROMATICA AGAINST ENTERIC POULTRY PATHOGENS

After an increasing concern of sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics in poultry to treat enteric and other infections, an interest in alternative and efficient products with antibacterial properties has increased. From ancient time, the plants are constantly contributing as a useful source for the therapeutic and pharmaceutically important compounds. In this study, we therefore tested for the presence of important phytochemicals and antibacterial potential of Curcuma longa and Curcuma aromatica rhizome extracts against poultry enteric pathogens. Pharmaceutically important phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, phenols, glucosides, etc. were found to be present in extracts of C. longa and C. aromatica. The extracts of C. aromatica exhibited excellent inhibitory action against Escherichia colt and Salmonella entertidis. However. C. longa extracts showed zone of inhibition against E. colt alone. This study provides significant insight into therapeutic application of Curcuma spp. against enteric poultry pathogens, suggesting ifs potential as an alternative to antibiotics and opens the way for further use in poultry feed for effective production.