Abstract
Although avocado is a superfood rich in phytochemicals with high antioxidant activities, studies on the antibacterial properties of its pulp are limited, except for seed and peel portions. In this study, three types of solvent (acetone, methanol, and diethyl ether) were used to obtain the extracts from “Maluma” avocado pulp powder prepared by infrared drying. The extracts were analyzed for total polyphenols, phytopigments (total chlorophylls and carotenoids), antioxidant activities (ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays), and antibacterial activities against seven pathogens (Shigella sonnei ATCC 9290, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Salmonella typhi ATCC 6539, Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC 17802, Proteus mirabilis ATCC 25933, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, and Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778). The results showed that the acetone solvent could extract the highest polyphenols and chlorophylls with the highest antioxidant activity in terms of ABTS and DPPH assays. In contrast, diethyl ether exhibited the most significant content of carotenoids and FRAP values. However, the methanol extract was the best solvent, exerting the strongest antibacterial and meaningful antioxidant activities. For the bacterial activities, Gram-positive pathogens (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) were inhibited more efficiently by avocado extracts than Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, the extracts from avocado powder showed great potential for applications in food processing and preservation, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Highlights
Plants are a rich source of phytochemical compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids, which have antibacterial and antioxidant properties [1]
The results showed that the total phenolics content (TPC) and the total chlorophylls content of the avocado extracts with acetone had the most significant value
This study characterized the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of different extracts from avocado pulp powder. The results showed these activities were solvent-dependent, in which methanol and acetone were effective in extracting phenolic components and chlorophylls
Summary
Plants are a rich source of phytochemical compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids, which have antibacterial and antioxidant properties [1]. Plant extracts with antibacterial ability are promising and safe sources for applications as additives for food production [5,6,7] or aquaculture [8,9,10]. It is shown that plant extracts have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, being effective against both Gram-positive and. Garlic, basil leaves, curry leaves, ginger root, and mustard exhibit antibacterial properties against a wide range of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Salmonella infantis) [19], extracts of cruciferous vegetables show resistance against Gram-negative bacteria [20]. The application of innovative techniques such as biosynthesis of nanoparticles using extracts with antioxidant and antibaterial activity could enhance antibacterial properties [21,22]
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