Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is widely recognized for its potent antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, primarily attributed to curcuminoids and essential oils. Despite its extensive use in traditional medicine, the interaction of turmeric powder with common household oils such as coconut, mustard, and olive oil remains underexplored in terms of antibacterial efficacy. This research investigates the in-vitro antibacterial activity of turmeric-oil mixtures against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Turmeric powder was combined with coconut, mustard, and olive oils in standardized ratios and subjected to agar well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. Results show that turmeric mixed with mustard and coconut oils exhibits enhanced antibacterial action compared to turmeric alone, while olive oil preparations demonstrated moderate but strain-specific effects. These findings highlight the potential of turmeric-oil blends as accessible, low-cost antimicrobial alternatives for household and community-level infection prevention. More extensive biochemical profiling and mechanistic studies are recommended to understand synergistic interactions between curcuminoids and lipid-based carriers.