Antibacterial activity of Phoenix dactylifera L. leaf and pit extracts against selected Gram negative and Gram positive pathogenic bacteria

Journal Article
W, 43- Kahkashan Perveen, Najat A. Bokhari and Dina A. . 2012
Magazine \ Newspaper: 
Journal of Medicinal Plants Research .
Issue Number: 
2
Volume Number: 
6
Pages: 
296-300
Publication Abstract: 

 

The crude methanol, acetone and water extracts of leaves and pits of three varieties of Phoenix dactylifera were tested for antibacterial action against selected Gram positive and Gram negative pathogenic bacteria. Barring Enterococcus faecalis, the acetone and methanol extracts showed good antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella  flexeneri, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes, whereas the water extract had very  little effect on all test bacterial species and there was almost negligible effect on P. aeruginosa. Pits extracts of all three varieties of P. dactylifera were found to be more effective than leaves extracts.

Results clearly showed that S. pyogenes was most sensitive pathogen to the crude extracts and had

shown maximum zone of inhibition. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for S. pyogenes was found

to be 1.3, 1.1, 1.6 and 1.4 mg/ml for methanol leaves and pits extracts and acetone leaves and pits

extracts, respectively.