Phenolic Content and Antimicrobial activities of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Fruits and Leaves

Abstract

<p>This study aimed to investigate total phenolic content (TPC) and antibacterial activities of different extracts recovered from Date Palm fruit and leaves using various solvents, including methanol, ethanol and water. The results showed that the highest phenolic content was found in Leaf Methanol extract, followed by Leaf Ethanol extract, and then followed by Seed Methanol extract (74.4 mg/g, 67.3 mg/g, and 64.7 mg/g respectively). Whereas, the date methanol extract had the lowest phenolic content (5 mg/g). The study was also scrutinized to find the antibacterial inhibitory property in the leaves and fruits of date palm against four bacterial species (<em>E.coli</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>, and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>) by using the well diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Date leaves extracts showed inhibitory effect on the growth of <em>Staphylococcus aureu</em>s and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> and resistance to <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> and <em>E.coli</em>. MIC of methanol and ethanol (70%) leaves extract were 100 mg/ml and 250mg/ml for <em>S. aureus</em> and <em>B. subtilis</em> respectively, however, all the bacteria have resistance to date fruits extracts.</p>