RESUMEN
The most common cause of pyogenic infection of the skin and soft tissues in children is Staphylococcus aureus, a fast-emerging problem due to its accompanying significant cost and morbidity. The popularity of herbal medications has increased due to the search for cheaper and more accessible alternatives. However, data is still lacking to back up these claims. Although a few in vitro studies have tested Neem leaf extract on S. aureus, there are none done on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) despite the fact that it is being marketed for such purposes. Objectives: This study aims to determine if Neem leaf extract (Azadirachta indica) has antibacterial properties against Methicillin-sensitive and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and to compare the anti-staphylococcal properties of Neem leaf extract with oxacillin, vancomycin, mupirocin, and povidone iodine. Methods: An in vitro experimental study was performed using Neem leaf, properly identified and verified, was subjected to ethanol extraction of its active ingredients then diluted to produce 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% concentrations. Standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus and clinical isolates of MRSA where inoculated on blood agar plates and subjected to the standardized disc susceptibility testing method. Zones of inhibition were measured for each test extract and compared to currently used medications, namely oxacillin, vancomycin, mupirocin, and povidone iodine with the pure diluent as negative control. The data was analyzed using difference of means hypothesis testing; it utilized the student's t-test to determine significance. Results: A trend of increasing antibacterial activity was noted with increasing concentration of the extract. Zones of inhibition started to appear at 50% concentration for S. aureus and 75% for MRSA. The antibiotics were able to produce greater zones of inhibition than the Neem extracts. Conclusion: Data from this study strongly suggest that the ethanol extract from Neem leaves exhibits in vitro antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA with greatest zones of inhibition noted at 100% concentration.