title: Total phenolic and flavonoid content and antibacterial activity of Punica granatum L. var. pleniflora flowers (Golnar) against bacterial strains causing foodborne diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Flowers of Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae) var. pleniflora, known as "Golnar" in Iranian traditional medicine have been used for the prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases. In this study, antibacterial activities of ethanol extract of Golnar and its fractions were scientifically evaluated against bacteria causing foodborne diseases including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Shigella dysantriae, and Salmonella typhi. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract and its fractions were also determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antibacterial effect of the ethanol extract and its fractions were primarily evaluated by agar well diffusion and their MIC and MBC were determined by broth macro dilution method. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract and its fractions were measured based on gallic acid and rutin equivalents (GAE and RE), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After evaluation of total phenolic and flavonoid content the chloroform fraction showed the lowest phenolic and flavonoid contents (3.8 mg GAE/g and 1.1 mg RE/g respectively) and the methanol fraction showed the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents (18.1 mg GEA/g and 3.3 mg RE/g respectively). The total phenolic and flavonoid content was positively associated with the antibacterial activities of the fractions with chloroform extract exhibiting lowest antibacterial activity against E. coli (MIC 25 mg/ml) and the methanol fraction exhibiting the highest antibacterial effect against S. aureus (MIC 0.19 mg/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Golnar extract showed antibacterial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria causing food poisoning. Therefore, the extract can be used for prevention or treatment of foodborne diseases or as preservative in the food industry. The methanol fraction with the highest phenolic and flavonoid content showed the highest antibacterial effect. This indicates that the phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the extract can be responsible for the effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 2660, Vali-Asr Ave, Tehran, 141556153, Iran. a.mahboubi@sbmu.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahboubi
authors.affiliation: Young Researchers and Elite Club, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. taxolfa@yahoo.com.|Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, (IAUPS), Tehran, Iran. taxolfa@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jinous
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asgarpanah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, (IAUPS), Tehran, Iran. parisa.nosrati8986@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Parisa Nosrati
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Sadaghiyani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 2660, Vali-Asr Ave, Tehran, 141556153, Iran. m.faizi@sbmu.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faizi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D005519:Food Preservation; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts