GOLDEN POWER: Evaluating Tagetes Erecta Extract as a Natural Antimicrobial Agent in Soap Sheets

Grade:

9

Teacher:

Raymund Endriga

Tagetes Erecta, also known as Marigold, is a flower species common in Mexico. Often used for its aesthetic value, T. erecta is not only a beautiful flower but has inert characteristics that can be beneficial to health. This project aims to explore the antimicrobial property of T. erecta and evaluate its effectiveness when infused into soap sheets. The T. erecta extract was initially tested purely to confirm its antimicrobial characteristic. Soap sheets were then prepared with varying concentrations of the T. erecta extract – 5 ml, 10 ml and 15 ml. Results were compared after to note its efficacy. Data from the pure extract testing revealed significant zones of inhibition for both agar plates with averages of 22.5 mm and 29.25 mm respectively. Surprisingly, when the T. erecta extract was infused with the soap sheets, no inhibition zones were observed in every plate of all extract concentrations. The infused soap sheets were tested multiple times for validation, but testing yielded consistent results. Overall, T. erecta extract alone shows very good potential as an active ingredient to ward off microbes. However, this experiment shows that infusion of 5 ml, 10 ml and 15 ml concentrations of the extract in soap sheets are not effective to combat bacteria. The lack of antimicrobial efficacy may be attributed to low concentrations and interference from soap ingredients. Careful formulation is needed to stabilize the antimicrobial effect and make it more efficient as part of soap sheets.

Project presentation

Research paper