Volume 20, Issue 46, July - December, 2026

Antimicrobial Properties of Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) extract on some Clinical Isolates

Iyevhobu KO^1,2,3♦, Okparaku SO¹, Abhulimen AS^1,3, Obohwemu KO^3,4, Eigbedion AO^5,6, Blackie OH⁷, Owolabi SO¹, Akharo G¹, Osundele MO¹

¹Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
²Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Edo State University, Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria
³Saint Kenny Diagnostic and Research Centre, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
⁴Department of Interdisciplinary Research and Statistics, PENKUP Research Institute, Birmingham, United Kingdom
⁵Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
⁶Department of Paediatrics, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
⁷Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding Author
Iyevhobu, K.O, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Cyperus esculentus (Tiger nut) has been described as a root tuber. It is from the family Cyperaceae. Cyperus esculentus is a monocotyledonous plant and belongs to the family Cyperaceae. This study investigated the antimicrobial properties of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) extracts against selected pathogenic bacteria. The study was aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of different solvent extracts (ethanol, hot water, cold water, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, and isopropyl alcohol), to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Bacterial isolates (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Morganella morganii), were obtained from a tertiary health institution (Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, (ISTH), Irrua) and they were identified using standard microbiology techniques. Tiger nut extracts were prepared using standard extraction procedures and disc diffusion method was used to test for antibacterial activity. It was observed that aqueous extracts (hot and cold water) exhibited greater antibacterial activity compared to ethanol extracts. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Morganella morganii showed notable zones of inhibition while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to all extracts. The susceptible organisms showed MIC values ranging from 50 to 100 mg/mL while bactericidal effects (MBC values) were observed at higher concentrations. This result suggests that the antimicrobial activity of tiger nut extracts may be attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds. In conclusion, tiger nut extracts possess moderate antibacterial activity, particularly in aqueous forms, which can serve as a potential source of natural antimicrobial agents. However, further studies are recommended to isolate active compounds and evaluate their clinical applicability.

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Tiger nut, Cyperus esculentus, MIC, MBC

Drug Discovery, 2026, 20(45), e18dd3103

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Published: 21 September 2026