جامعة الكوت - University of kut - بحوث

السنة	عنوان البحث	نشر البحث
2016	In-vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Effect of Areca Nut Extract	Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences
Areca nut is the seed of the areca palm (Areca catechu). Several author demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of Areca nut aqueous extracts against bacterial pathogens like MRSA, H. pylori, and oral microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the areca nut in vitro using isolated organisms. A variety of human bacterial isolates, both gram positive and gram negative, were tested against areca nut extract by measuring the growth of the organisms using the Disk diffusion method. Antifungal activity of areca nut extract was also tested against unicellular yeast fungus Candida albicans using tube method. It was found that both gram negative and gram positive organisms were susceptible to the areca nut extract. The concentration needed for 100% inhibition of growth was found to be 3.3-7 µg/ml for gram negative organisms and 16 µg/ml for gram positive bacteria. The extract was also found to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans at a concentration of 16 µg/ml. It can be concluded from our results that areca nut extract plays an important role as antibacterial and antifungal activity due to the presence of bioactive chemical compounds. Our results suggest that areca nut extract could serve as potential source of bioactive compounds. Further research is needed in which the extract could possibly be exploited for pharmaceutical use.