Antimicrobial Effect of Baccaurea angulata Fruit Extracts against Human Pathogenic Microorganisms

Abstract

The application and research for drugs and food supplements derived from plants extracts have increased in recent years. Plants extract and their constituents are recognized to be safe, either because of their traditional use without any documented detrimental impact or because of dedicated toxicological studies. The potential of higher plants as a source for new drugs is largely unexplored. Although hundreds of plant species have been tested for antimicrobial properties, the vast majority of medicinal plants have not been adequately evaluated. And an increasing number of pathogens are left off treatment, due to emergent resistance strains. Thus, a systematic investigation was undertaken to screen for antibacterial activity from Baccaurea angulata (BA). The Baccaurea angulata belongs to the family of Euphorbiaceae. Plant that belongs to the family is used as food as well as treatment of infectious diseases such as diarrhea, skin infections and gonorrhoea. The anti-microbial activity of the BA fruit extracts havee revealed different antimicrobial properties, that are various between three parts (whole fruit, fruit skin, and berry), three solvents (methanol, ethanol and aqueous), different methods (agar well diffusion, and microdilution method) and differently listed pathogens (Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The highest observed antimicrobial activity was in ethanol extract of fruit skin using agar well diffusion against S. pneumonia. Among tested Gram negative bacteria K. pneumoniae was the most susceptible bacterium which showed the highest bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity using microdilution method.