Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Ethanol Leaf Extract of Dendropanax morbiferus Lev.

Abstract

Abstract In the study reported here, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the ethanol leaf extract of Dendropanax morbiferus Lev. from Jeju Island was investigated. Of the 14 strains of 12 species of microorganisms tested, the extract exhibited antimicrobial activity observed against seven Gram-positive bacteria of four species, but not against six Gram-negative bacteria and a yeast strain. Using the disc diffusion method, the diameter of the inhibition zone increased with application of the extract with every strain and the highest growth inhibition was exhibited with Staphylococcus aureus KCTC 1916 at 5 mg/ml. The minimal inhibitory concentration of the extract (MIC) by turbidity was 2.5 mg/ml against Bacillus cereus KACC 12672 and 15 mg/ml when with Enterococcus faecalis KCTC 3206. The minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) values defined as being ≧ 99.9% reduction in viable cells against the tested strains was higher than the MIC values. Time killing curves using the optimum MIC were performed on seven strains incubated for 48 hr. The growth of B. cereus KACC 12672 was detected after 12 hr and no significant growth was found in the others strains after 48 hr ( p<0.05). The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity of the ethanol leaf extract was similar to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) at the same concentration. These results indicate that leaf extract of D. morbiferus Lev. can be utilized as a natural preservative and an antioxidant.Key words: antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, extract, foodborne pathogen, Dendropanax morbiferus Lev.*Equal contribution