Antibacterial activity of vegetables and juices.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the antibacterial activities of various fruit and vegetable extracts on common potential pathogens including antibiotic-resistant strains.


METHODS
Standardized bacterial inocula were added to serial dilutions of sterile vegetable and fruit extracts in broth, with final bacterial concentrations of 10(4-5) cells/mL. After overnight incubation at 35 degrees C, antibacterial activity was measured by minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal dilutions (for raw juices) or concentrations (for tea).


RESULTS
Among the vegetable and fruit extracts tested, all green vegetables showed no antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella pneumoniae. All purple and red vegetable and fruit juices had antibacterial activities in dilutions ranging from 1:2 to 1:16. Garlic juice had significant activity, with bactericidal action in dilutions ranging up to 1:128 of the original juice. Tea also had significant activity, with bactericidal action in concentrations ranging up to 1.6 mg/mL, against a spectrum of pathogens including resistant strains such as methicillin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.


CONCLUSIONS
Tea and garlic have the potential for exploration of broader applications as antibacterial agents.
Lee
Yee-Lean
YL
University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange, California, USA.
Cesario
Thomas
T
Wang
Yang
Y
Shanbrom
Edward
E
Thrupp
Lauri
L
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis; D004351:Drug Resistance; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts