Evaluation of Antimicrobial Properties of Bam Date Kernel Extract and Investigation of the Structure of Extract

Background & Aims: The prevalence of hospital infections, especially of bacterial origin, is increasing and uncontrollable in many countries. Controlling them, because of their damage to the health and economy, is essential. Therefore, numerous efforts have been made to find new antibiotics as suitable alternatives to current ones. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of date kernel extract against several hospital pathogens. Materials and Methods: Acetone extract of Mozafati date kernel from Bam city was prepared by immersion method and its antibacterial effects on hospital pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii were investigated by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and well diffusion method. Then, the structure of the obtained extract was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The MIC was observed at 400 mg/mL of extract for S. aureus bacteria. In addition, the MBC of date kernel extract was 500 mg/ mL for the tested bacteria, except for A. baumannii, where a decreasing trend was detected. The antibacterial activity was determined by the well diffusion method against all bacteria, and the greatest activity was observed against S. aureus with a growth inhibition zone diameter of 31 mm. The HPLC analysis showed the presence of 7 different structures, of which rutin was the most abundant. Conclusion: This study indicates the high antibacterial effect of acetone extract of date kernel on the tested bacteria; however, further studies should be conducted on this plant as a new and powerful antibacterial agent.