Bioactive components of <i>Syzygium aromaticum</i> bud and their effects on selected pathogenic bacteria

Abstract

Background: The decline in the effectiveness of common antibiotics is due to microbial resistance and has sparked research interest in  discovering new antimicrobial agents from plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of clove extracts on  selected pathogenic bacteria and identify the active antibacterial components.

Methodology: The active components of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) buds were extracted using methanol and ethyl acetate and  identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Antibacterial screenings against selected pathogenic bacteria  were conducted using the agar-well diffusion method.

Results: The extracts showed activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 100 mg/ml, so that  the diameters of the methanol extracts were 4.00-25.00 mm, 3.00-26.00 mm and 0.00 -16.00 mm, while the ethyl acetate extracts were  3.00-24.00 mm, 4.00-22.00 mm and 0.00-14.00 mm respectively. The ethyl acetate extract showed higher MIC and MBC at 3.125 and 6.5  mg/mL and 12.5 mg/mL, indicating a more lethal effect than the methanol extract. Nineteen bioactive compounds were identified the  extracts.

Conclusion: The study justifies the use of the clove plant by traditional herbalists to treat bacterial infections due to the  presence and synergy of the plant's various bioactive components.