Abstract:
Nowadays, infectious diseases are the number one cause of high mortality. Discovery
of new antibacterial compound has attracted scientists to understand the infectious
diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria which nowadays becoming more resistant to
the common antibiotics. Antibacterial compound has been discovered by scientists
from bacteria colonized in soil, trees and others. The aims of this study were to isolate
and identify bacteria producing from tree bark and to determine the potential of
bacterial isolates in producing antibacterial compound. The tree bark samples were
collected from Casuarina eqiusetifolia and Lawsonia inermis which were located at
Coastal Area and Kg. Gong Badak in Terengganu. A total of ten bacterial isolates
were characterized using Spread Plate Method. Further identification of the isolates
was done by using Gram Stain and Biochemical Test. Based on the result, several
bacteria were identified which included Serratia sp., Vibrio sp., Lactobacillus sp.,
Clostridium sp., Bacillus sp. and Streptococcus sp. The capability of bacteria to
produce antibacterial compound was determined using Disc Diffusion Test. However,
there was no antibacterial activity detected in any of the bacterial isolates collected
from the tree bark. Thus, this study should be investigated further by selecting the tree
barks which may have good conditions for bacteria to grow. Apart from that, culture
conditions must be taking into account because this is an important factor to grow
bacteria that producing antibacterial compound.