ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF HALF RIPENED CARRISA SPINARUM AGAINST SELECTED MICROORGANISMS OF CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health challenge, necessitating the
exploration of alternative therapeutic agents. This study evaluates the antimicrobial efficacy of
aqueous extracts from half-ripened Carissa spinarum fruits against clinically relevant bacterial
strains: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and methicillin-
resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Employing an experimental design, the fruit extracts
were prepared through aqueous extraction and tested using the agar well diffusion method. The
bacterial strains, sourced from laboratory stock cultures, were standardized to a 0.5 McFarland
standard for uniformity. Results revealed no zones of inhibition against the tested bacterial
pathogens, suggesting the limited antimicrobial potential of the half-ripened fruit extract. These
findings contrast previous studies that reported significant antimicrobial activity in extracts from
fully ripened Carissa spinarum fruits and other plant parts, highlighting the potential influence
of ripeness on phytochemical efficacy. The study concludes that while half-ripened Carissa
spinarum fruits exhibit no discernible antimicrobial effects, further research should focus on
fully ripened fruits and alternative extraction methods to better understand their bioactive
potential.
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