In-Vitro Antibacterial Screening of Punica granatum and Rhamnus sp. Extracts from Saudi Arabia

In the face of the escalating global antibiotic resistance crisis, exploring alternative therapeutic avenues has become imperative. This study investigates the antibacterial potential of Punica granatum and Rhamnus sp. extracts from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Antibacterial activities were evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis using well diffusion, MIC, and MBC assays. The antibacterial tests of both plants revealed that ethanolic extracts demonstrate superior activity compared to chloroform extracts. Also, Enterococcus faecalis proves most susceptible (up to 33 mm inhibition), while Escherichia coli exhibits notable resistance. Although Escherichia coli was the most resistant organism using MIC, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most susceptible strain with MIC less than 12.5 mg/mL. The Punica granatum extracts and Rhamnus sp. chloroformed extract display primarily bactericidal effects, whereas the ethanolic extract of Rhamnus sp. has a mainly bacteriostatic effect. Phytochemical analysis reveals a rich composition, including different well-known antimicrobial chemical classes. These findings underscore the potent antibacterial activity of both plants against diverse bacterial strains. The study emphasizes the need for further research into their phytochemical characterization and mechanistic insights.