Antioxidant activity and antimicrobial property of some Indian spices
Solvent extracts of five Indian spices viz., Turmeric, Cinnamon, Cumin, Ginger and Garlic were examined for their antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity. The antioxidant capacity of the spice extracts were found in descending order: Cumin>Garlic>Cinnamon>Turmeric>Ginger by DPPH method, Garlic>Cumin>Turmeric>Ginger>Cinnamon by FRAP method and Turmeric>Cinnamon>Garlic>Cumin>Ginger by TPC method. Cinnamon had the highest antimicrobial effect (12mm) at maximum concentration on the growth of bacterial strains Vibrio vulnificus and Micrococcus luteus followed by cumin (9mm), Garlic (8mm), Ginger (8mm) and Turmeric (7mm). These results indicated that the spice extract supplement is promising as a prophylactic for fish health improvement.