Inhibitory Effect of Azadirachta indica Extract and Antibiotics against Bacteria isolated from patients with Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infection (Utls) are one of the most common bacterial infection worldwide,
affecting millions of individuals annually and imposing a significant public health burden. The majority
of (Utls) are caused by Urpathogenic Escherichia coli, although other pathogenic bacteria such as
Klebsiella penumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis. Azadirachta indica (Neem)
is a versatile tree with multiple health benefits. Different parts of the tree were shown to exhibition
antimicrobial effects against a wide variety of microbes. Screening of this medicinal plant for bioactive
compounds may lead to progress of less expensive new antimicrobial agents with improved safety and
efficacy. Objective: To isolate and identify bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and
evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolated bacteria; and To assess the potential
effectiveness of Azadirachta indica (Neem) leaf extract against UTI pathogens. Material and methods:
Methods: A study was reached between October 1, 2025, to December 30, 2025. A total of 100 urine
specimens from men and women aged 5 to 70 were carefully collected and examined, Bacterial isolates
were diagnosed. This was confirmed with the use of HiCrome UTI agar media and the isolated bacteria
were tested for antibiotic susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion methods, following the
standards set by the CLSI. Ethanolic and Aqueous extracts of Azadirachta indica were prepared at varying
concentrations, which were applied on inoculated plates of Muller Hinton agar. The disc diffusion method
was used to screen the antibacterial activity of both Azadirachta indica extract and synthetic antibiotics.
Results: The most frequently identified organisms were as follows: 35.9% Enterococcus faecalis followed
by 29.3% Staphylococcus aureus, 21.0% E. coli and only 6.6% have pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial
infection, all of which were multidrug-resistant (MDR).