Proposed Title: Banana Male Inflorescence Puso ng Saging (Musa acuminata L.

) as
Nutrient Source in Microbial Culture Media
Student Researchers: Mark Arlo H. Segundo, Chris Israel Delatado, Sophia Katheryne
Da-a, Sorrel Sedantes
I.

Main Issue

In-vitro culture of microorganisms is a routine step in microbiological analysis which

involves the use of culture media. Culture media supplies essential nutrients for growth
and maintenance of microorganisms. Nutrient agar is a basic, non-selective culture
medium composed of peptones and beef extracts that is conventionally used in the
laboratory. However, increasing cost of culture media demands the development of
cost-effective alternative media possibly from natural sources.
Plants like banana fruit, carrot, tomato, cabbage, pumpkin and soybeans are only few of
the many that have been studied as sole or incorporated nutrient source in microbial
culture media (Barluado, Ago, Baquiran, Insoy & Bano, 2014; Deivanayaki &
Irutharayaj, 2012).
Puso ng saging or Banana Blossom is known to have nutritional value. Sheng et al
(2010) reported that banana flowers contained abundant dietary fiber (4.96-5.74 g/100g)
and proteins (1.62-2.07 g/100 g) and its major amino acids are glycine, leucine, alanine,
and aspartic acid.
Thus, this study aims to find out its potential of being a sole nutrient source of culture
media for microorganisms.
II.

Significance of the Study

The study aims to develop effective, non-toxic and cost-effective alternative culture
media that is widely available and cheap by clinical laboratories, especially for
developing countries.
Also, banana blossoms potentials other than being part of our diet are yet to be known.
Its oversupply despite having very low prices in public markets in the city seldom leads
to wasteful outcomes. Thus, this study may curb such problem through alternative
usage.
III.

Proposed approach to answer the main issue

The researchers shall make use of powderized banana blossom by blender maceration
then lyophilization or oven drying. Qualitative and quantitative nutrient content analysis
shall also be conducted by biochemical tests.
Furthermore, formulation shall be made by ratios with plain agar powder as gelling
agent. Trial and error methods shall be done to achieve best possible consistency.
Common clinical isolates like Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
Aspergillus niger are the test microorganisms. Colony forming units per milliliter or plate

area covered shall be used as the parameter to examine its viability. To compare the
data, nutrient agar will serve as the positive control of this study.

Proposed Study: Antibacterial Potential of Selected Ethnomedical Plants Used

by Indigenous People of Marilog District, Davao City
Student Researchers: Mark Arlo H. Segundo, Chris Israel Delatado, Sophia Katheryne
Da-a, Sorrel Sedantes
I.

Main Issue

Indigenous people and their practices have been extensively studied but their medicines
remains understudied. Their medicinal plants are possible sources of potential
therapeutic agents before their healing traditions may be affected by ancestral land
degradation, migration and arrival of lowland culture. Thus, there is a need to further
study, document and conserve their health traditions
Also, most of indigenous medicinal plants are not verified for their medicinal properties.
They are still used by indigents as part of their custom and established beliefs.
However, there is still an underlying risk of adverse effects and intoxications with
improper use of medicinal plants which may even complicate their health conditions.
Antibiotics in the market today cost a lot for the general public most especially to the
sindigents. Much can still be derived from plants to possibly curb the rising prices of
medication with the prospect of having better or equal antibacterial properties. By
conducting this study, it may provide them with safe and accessible treatment and
health education materials for the promotion of health in general.
II.

Significance of the Study

Potent antibiotic drugs are inaccessible to the general public much more to the
indigenous people of the Philippines. By conducting this study, their medicinal practices
and materials may be verified for their therapeutic potentials. This hopefully provides
them with safe and accessible treatment and education materials for their use.
Also with the threats of ancestral land degradation, migration and arrival of lowland
culture, this study may inform the public of the need to preserve their lands, their rights
and address their needs.
III.

Proposed approach to answer the main issue

The researchers shall make use of the ethnopharmacological collaborative project study
by Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care, University of the
Philippines Manila and University of the Philippines Mindanao (2000) on the medicinal
plants and natural products of the Bagobos in Marilog District, Davao City as the basis
of this study.
Prior to gathering of plant materials for the study, consultation with government and
non-government agencies will be done. Proper procedural activity shall be made and
courtesy call to significant local personalities will be initiated to identify initial contacts.
Permission, security and safety shall be asked to the local leaders.

Consent will also be asked from the indigenous people for the collection of plant
materials for the study. All plant materials shall be subjected to ethanolic extraction
using the rotary evaporator. To test its antibacterial potential, Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion
method shall be conducted using various sample concentrations against common
clinical isolates like Staphyloccus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia
coli. Commercial antibiotics shall be used as positive control for this study.

Proposed Title: Sago Palm (Metroxylon sagu) Extract as Gelling Agent for Microbial
Culture Media
Student Researchers: Mark Arlo H. Segundo, Chris Israel Delatado, Sophia Katheryne
Da-a, Sorrel Sedantes
I.

Main Issue

Agar-agar or commonly known as agar is the most common gelling agent used in the
preparation of commercial microbial or plant culture media. It is derived from seaweeds
and has been a mainstay component of solid media because of its stability, high clarity,
nontoxic nature and resistance to metabolism during culture.
However Jain, Anjaiah and Babbar (2005) reported doubts of its nontoxicity and
exploitation of its prices. This leads to the need to find substitutes to agar.
Other gelling agents have been studied for their potentials like guar gum and isubgol.
Sago palm supply is high in the Philippines but it is not a staple food. Its extract has
long been used as gelatinous foodstuffs. With that, the resources would like to explore
its extracts potential as a substitute of agar as a gelling agent in microbial culture
media.
II.

Significance of the Study

By conducting this study, sago palm which is a known local plant can be maximized for
its other potentials aside from being a food product.
A cost-effective but equally effective gelling agent with agar-agar can be developed.
With this, the cost of materials in a clinical laboratory may also be reduced to offer
cheaper costs of microbiological analysis.
III.

Proposed approach to answer the main issue

To examine sago palms potential as a substitute gelling agent the following parameters
shall be established: gelling ability, physical properties, colonial growth and cost-benefit
analysis.
Sago palm trunk will be macerated, sun dried and grounded to form a powderized
material. It will be autoclaved before being reconstituted with distilled water. Potato
dextrose broth and peptone broths will be used as nutritional components. They will be
combined with sago palm gelling agents at various concentrations and be examined for
its gelling ability and physical properties after 24 hours.
Also, bacterial and fungal isolates will be inoculated in the culture media. The colonial
characteristics and level of growth will be examined by measuring formed colonies and
level of lawn growth.
Lastly, cost-benefit ratio shall be computed comparing the price of the sago palm with
standard commercial price of agar.