Antibacterial activity of beta vulgaris L. pomace extract

Abstract

Antibacterial activity of Beta vulgaris L. (beetroot) pomace extract (concentration 100 mg/ml) was tested against five Gram positive and seven Gram negative bacterial strains (reference cultures and natural isolates). Disc diffusion method with 15 μl of extract and agar-well diffusion method with 50 and 100 μl were used. Antibiotic (cefo-taxime/clavulanic acid) was used as a control sample. The tested extract showed the highest activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, where clear zones (without growth) appeared. There was no any activity against other tested Gram-positive bacteria, except for Staphylococcus epidermidis, with a small zone of reduced growth. Growth of all tested Gram-negative bacteria was inhibited usually with 100 μl of extract. The most susceptible were Citrobacter freundii and Salmonella typhymurium. The tested antibiotic gave clear, usually large zones for all tested strains except for Staphylococcus cohni spp. cohni, where only a zone of reduced growth appeared.