Analyzing the Antibacterial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Qualities of the Stink Bean (Parkia Speciosa) by Various Extraction Techniques

In various Southeast Asian countries, people have long incorporated the young green seeds of Parkia speciosa, commonly known as stink beans, into their culinary traditions. These seeds can be prepared using various cooking methods, including boiling, microwaving, stir-frying, or even consuming them raw. While several studies have explored the pharmaceutical properties of raw stink beans, this study seeks to expand our knowledge of how different extraction methods can influence the release of bioactive compounds from these young stink bean seeds. Three distinct extraction methods, namely (1) microwave-assisted water extraction, (2) boiling water extraction and (3) 50 % ethanol extraction were employed in this research. The study focused on total phenolic content and antioxidant activities, with the 50 % ethanol extraction method yielding the most promising results. Moreover, only the extract obtained from the 50 % ethanol method exhibited antimicrobial activity against 4 gram-positive bacteria, including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus and 1 gram-negative bacterium, Salmonella typhi. Notably, extracts obtained from the 3 extraction methods of young stink bean seeds exhibit varying degrees of inhibition of cancer cell growth with low cell toxicity. Taken together, our findings suggest that distinct extraction methods play a key role in obtaining different sets of bioactive compounds from the young seeds of stink beans. Therefore, various cooking methods, including stir-frying, microwaving and pickling in alcohol, may offer diverse sources of bioactive compounds for promoting consumer health. HIGHLIGHTS A 50 % ethanol extraction of young stink bean seeds yields the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and exhibits the highest antioxidant capacity The sole extract derived from the 50 % ethanol extraction of young stink bean seeds demonstrated notable antimicrobial efficacy against both selected gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria Three distinct extraction methodologies—microwave-assisted water extraction, boiling water extraction and 50 % ethanol extraction—exhibited varying degrees of cytotoxicity against normal cell lines and cancer cells GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT