Microbiology and Biotechnology Research: An Overview Vol. 7

Introduction: Avocado (Persea americana L.) is a nutritious tropical fruit belonging to the Lauraceae family, and various parts of the plant are traditionally used in the treatment of several diseases.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity of oil extracted from the seed and pulp of P. americana using the agar diffusion technique.

Methodology: Seed oil of P. americana was extracted using a Soxhlet extractor from 500 g seeds and 200 g seeds of P. americana using di-ethyl ether as solvent. Phytochemical screening was conducted following standard procedures. The extracted oils were tested for antimicrobial activity against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Candida albicans, with conventional antibiotics as controls. Each sample was tested in triplicate, and experiments were repeated three times. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, and differences were considered significant at P < 0.05.

Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids (0.109%), saponins (1.189%), flavonoids (2.72%), polyphenols (0.202 mg/100 g), tannins (4.512 mg/100 g), and steroids (0.105 mg/100 g) in the seed oil. The result revealed P. aeruginosa to have the highest diameter of zones of inhibition of 12.00 – 30.00 mm at the concentrations of 0.1 – 0.4 g/mL, respectively. S. aureus had a diameter of zones of inhibition of 10.00 – 20.00 mm at the concentrations of 0.1 – 0.4 g/mL. E. coli had a diameter of zones of inhibition of 10.00 – 15.00 mm at the concentrations of 0.1 – 0.4 g/mL, respectively. C. albicans had a diameter of zones of inhibition of 8.00 – 13.00 mm at the concentrations of 0.1 – 0.4 g/mL, respectively; and S. pneumonia had a diameter of zones of inhibition of 8.00 – 12.00 mm at the concentrations of 0.1 – 0.4 g/mL, respectively. The results of the antimicrobial test on the seed oil showed appreciable antibacterial activities against the test organisms. The result of the test organisms was susceptible to conventional antibiotics.

Conclusion: The oil extracts of Persea americana exhibit significant antibacterial activity against several pathogenic organisms. This study addresses the research gap regarding the antibacterial potential of avocado seed and pulp oil, highlighting its promise as a natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of skin infections and encouraging further pharmacological investigations.