ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION OF PUNICA GRANATUM (POMEGRANATE) AND PASSIFLORA EDULIS (PASSION FRUIT) AGAINST ORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM INTESTINAL INFECTIONS –AN IN VITRO STUDY

Abstract

Background and objectives: The overuse and misuse of antibiotics coupled with the intrinsic and acquired resistance of bacteria resulted in the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains. Pomegranate and Passion fruit are two fruits which have been documented to have signicant antimicrobial activity against harmful organisms which colonize the gut. The present study evaluates the antimicrobial activity of Punica granatum and Passiora edulis against organisms isolated from intestinal infections and compares the antimicrobial efcacy of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of fruit rind of Punica granatum and leaves of Passiora edulis. Fruit ri Methods: nd of Punica granatum and the fresh leaves of Passiora edulis plants were dried, ground into powder and made into extracts. A total of 100 gastrointestinal pathogens were isolated and included in the study. The antibacterial efcacy of the aqueous and alcoholic extracts against 100 human faecal isolates was tested by employing Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Sensitivity to the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Punica Results: granatum were found to be maximum in Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA was sensitive to these extracts. Aqueous extract of Punica granatum were effective against a large number of organisms, however, better antimicrobial action was seen with the ethanolic extract of Punica granatum. No encouraging results were obtained with the extracts of Passiora edulis. Our study shows that puried forms of Pomegranate (Punica granat Interpretation and conclusions: um) can be used as an adjunct in the treatment, in conjunction with antibiotics against intestinal pathogens and can open new areas of research.