Antimicrobial activity screening for three Citrus pulp extracts and phytochemical constituency profiling

Abstract

Selective utilization of plant extracts as potential source of pharmaceutical agents has been increasing in recent years. Many of the plant extracts possess bio-active components which inhibit the growth of some of the Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial pathogens. Three different species of Citrus (Citruslimon, Citrus aurantifolia and Citrus macroptera) fruits pulp extracts were allowed to antimicrobial screening against pathogenic bacteria viz., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Salmonella sp. Ethanol extract of Citrus macroptera showed highest zone of inhibition (14±0.25mm) against Klebsiella sp. and methanol extract of Citrus aurantifolia showed highest zone of inhibition (8 ± 0.56 mm) against Salmonella Sp. Ethanol extract and methanol extracts of Citrus fruits are more effective against pathogenic bacteria. Among different extraction methods, water bath method showed better result than soaking method. So it could be assumed that Citrus fruit may release more bioactive compound in water bath method rather than soaking method. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various active phytoconstituents in the ethanolic extract of three Citrus species.