Booth Id:
TMED062
Category:
Translational Medical Science
Year:
2023
Finalist Names:
Green, Ariel (School: Northwest Technology Center)
Abstract:
For generations, Native Americans have used Black Walnut as a natural remedy for bacterial infections. Despite its long history of use, the effectiveness of Black Walnut extract as an antimicrobial agent remains unclear. In this study, Tryptic Soy plates were inoculated with bacterial samples and two discs containing 10 micro liters of Black Walnut extract were placed on each plate, alongside Novobiocin and Kanamycin antibiotics. After incubating at 37°C for 24 hours, the areas of bacterial growth inhibition (halos) around the disks were measured to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of each compound. The results showed that the difference in the size of the exclusion zones between Black Walnut extract and antibiotics was not significant. However, bacteria did not grow around the Black Walnut discs, suggesting that it has antimicrobial properties. Compared to antibiotics, Black Walnut extract has fewer reported side effects and may offer a natural alternative for treating bacterial infections. While antibiotics have revolutionized medicine, they come with the risk of harmful side effects, highlighting the need for alternative treatments.