Abstract
This study aimed to determine phytochemical contents, antibacterial properties, and antibiotic modulating potential of Punica granatum leaf extracts: hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and aqueous extracts as well as an extract enriched with total oligomer flavonoids (TOFs). The TOF extract contained the highest value of phenols and flavonoids. Rutin, luteolin, gallic acid, and ellagic acid were determined by HPLC analysis of this extract. The antibacterial activity was assayed by the disc diffusion method and microdilution method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli standard ATCC strains and clinical isolates resistant strains. The TOF extract was the most active against all tested strains. The checkerboard method was used for the determination of synergy between two antibiotics (amoxicillin and cefotaxime) and P. granatum leaf extracts. The best synergistic interaction was found with TOF extract combined with amoxicillin for penicillin-resistant E. coli and penicillin-resistant S. aureus. These results can be assigned to tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids found in P. granatum leaf extracts. Pomegranate leaf extracts or active compounds isolated from these extracts could be used to fight the emergence and spread of resistant bacterial strains.
Highlights
According to the 2014 report of the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious public health issue that is reaching alarming levels.e emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria makes antimicrobial treatments ineffective, lengthens the duration of illness and the time of hospitalization, and increases the mortality rate [1]
Six extracts were prepared from the powdered leaves of P. granatum. e yield of extracts depended on extraction solvents and extraction methods and varied from 0.5 to 20.07% (Table 2). e highest extraction yield was obtained with the aqueous extract and the lowest yield was obtained with the ethyl acetate extract
86.46 ± 2.1 e preliminary phytochemical study showed the presence of flavonoids and hydrolysable tannins in ethanol extract, aqueous extract, and total oligomer flavonoids (TOFs) extract
Summary
According to the 2014 report of the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious public health issue that is reaching alarming levels.e emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria makes antimicrobial treatments ineffective, lengthens the duration of illness and the time of hospitalization, and increases the mortality rate [1]. One of the solutions is the combination of antibiotics and other agents in order to have a synergistic effect. Many projects aim at developing a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals which can be used alone or in combination with antibiotics. Punica granatum L. commonly known as pomegranate is a small tree of the family of Lythraceae. It is native from Persia and has been cultivated extensively in the Mediterranean countries such as Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt, and Spain and to some extent in California, China, Japan, and Russia [3]. Ese phenolics possess a strong binding ability to different molecular structures like proteins or glycoproteins that can antagonize bacterial resistance [2] It has been observed that the phenolics contained in pomegranate leaves predominantly contributed to their health benefits. ese phenolics possess a strong binding ability to different molecular structures like proteins or glycoproteins that can antagonize bacterial resistance [2]
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