Antimicrobial Activities of Water and Methanol Extracts of Bitter Apricot Seeds

The aim of this study was to test the antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract of bitter apricot seeds. Bitter apricot seeds used in folk medicine in the treatment of skin diseases and parasitic diseases. It been traditionally used to treat parasitic infections and skin diseases. Water and methanol extracts of bitter apricot seeds were screened against some bacterial strains. Seeds were extracted by percolation method. Aliquots of the extracts at variable concentrations were then incubated with different bacterial strains and the antimicrobial activities of the water and methanolic extracts from bitter apricot seeds were determined by MIC Three antibiotics were used as reference compounds for antibacterial activities. Bitter apricot seeds extract inhibited significantly the growth of the tested bacterial strains. Among the bacterial strains tested, Staphylococcus aureus was most susceptibility. The highest antibacterial was exhibited by water extract. Results from these findings suggest that this bitter apricot seeds extract may be used as natural antibacterial for treatment of some of diseases, especially local skin diseases.